Clinical trial NCT00384748: Home-based Telehealth Stroke Care: A Randomized Trial for Veterans
Official title: Home-Based Tele-Health Stroke Care: A Randomized Trial for Veterans
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE2
Conditions: Cerebrovascular Accident
Keywords: Cerebrovascular Accident
Rehabilitation
Telemedicine
Lead sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
Sponsor class: FED
First posted: 2006-10-06
Enrollment: 48
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 45
Maximum age (years): 90
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: FACTORIAL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The purpose of the proposed study is to examine a Tele-rehabilitation (TR) intervention that uses tele-health technology to improve outcomes of stroke patients after discharge to home. The primary aim is to determine the effect of TR on physical function, and secondarily to determine the effect on disability, falls-related self-efficacy, and patient satisfaction.

Detailed description: Stroke patients clearly benefit from intensive, coordinated, inpatient care. At the same time, there is considerable interest in ways to reduce hospital lengths of stay. Early discharge rehabilitation programs require coordinated, well-organized home-based rehabilitation, and lack of sufficient information about the home setting impedes successful rehabilitation. Unfortunately, resources for in-home rehabilitation are limited. The goal of TR is to improve functional mobility using a multifaceted rehabilitation intervention via two types of telehealth technology. Tele-video is used to carry out an in-home assessment of functional mobility, to make treatment recommendations, and to provide periodic goal-oriented reassessment, modifying the treatment plan as the patient improves. Tele-video uses a video camera with a home health aide in the patient's home to provide visual and audio to a therapist located at the base hospital. It is used to carry out an in-home assessment of functional mobility, to make treatment recommendations, and to provide periodic goal-oriented reassessment, modifying the treatment plan as the patient improves. An interactive, in-home messaging device is used to facilitate adherence with treatment recommendations and to screen for interval problems (depression, falls, and difficulty with self-care).

This is a Phase II, 2-arm, 3-site Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). A total of 120 veterans with recent onset of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke who are discharged to the community will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: (a) TR; and (b) Usual Care. Dependent variables (physical function, disability, falls-related self-efficacy, and patient satisfaction) will be measured at baseline, 3-, and 6-months via telephone interviews by the study coordinator located at the CIEBP who will be blinded to the study group assignment of the patient.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Have acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke within the preceding twenty-four months, defined as "a rapid onset event of vascular origin reflecting a focal disturbance of cerebral function, excluding isolated impairments of higher function and persisting longer than 24 hours";
* age between 45-90;
* discharge to the community;
* cognitively intact (score of 6/10 or greater on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire);
* discharge motor Functional Independence Measure (FIM) score of 17-88 (i.e., maximal assistance on no more than 4 motor activities of daily living (ADLs) as the most severe stroke included and modified independence at least 2 motor ADLs as the least severe); able to follow 3-step command; signed VHA Medical Media release form; concurrence by the patient's physician;
* and informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

Unable to provide informed consent

Primary outcomes:
measure: Physical Function as Measured by Telephone Version of FIM
timeFrame: 6-month
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Decatur
country: United States
facility: Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur
state: Georgia
city: Indianapolis
country: United States
facility: Richard Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis
state: Indiana
city: Durham
country: United States
facility: VA Medical Center, Durham
state: North Carolina
Study officials:
affiliation: Richard Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis
name: Neale R. Chumbler, PhD MA BS
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: James A. Haley Veterans Hospital
name: Patricia A Quigley, PhD MPH
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Lutz BJ, Chumbler NR, Lyles T, Hoffman N, Kobb R. Testing a home-telehealth programme for US veterans recovering from stroke and their family caregivers. Disabil Rehabil. 2009;31(5):402-9. doi: 10.1080/09638280802069558.
citation: Chumbler NR, Rose DK, Griffiths P, Quigley P, McGee-Hernandez N, Carlson KA, Vandenberg P, Morey MC, Sanford J, Hoenig H. Study protocol: home-based telehealth stroke care: a randomized trial for veterans. Trials. 2010 Jun 30;11:74. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-11-74.
citation: Chumbler NR, Morey M, Quigley P, Rose D, Sanford J, Hoenig H. Tele-rehabilitation for Stroke Care: A Randomized Trial for Veterans. [Abstract]. Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association. 2010 May 1; 16 Suppl 1:s30.
citation: Chumbler NR, Morey MC, Griffiths P, Quigley P, Haley JA, Rose DK, Sanford J, Hoenig H. The Effects of a Stroke Telerehabilitation In-Home Intervention on Function and Disability: Preliminary Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial. [Abstract]. Stroke; A Journal of Cerebral Circulation. 2011 Mar 1; 42(3):e76.
citation: Chumbler NR, Quigley P, Li X, Morey M, Rose D, Sanford J, Griffiths P, Hoenig H. Effects of telerehabilitation on physical function and disability for stroke patients: a randomized, controlled trial. Stroke. 2012 Aug;43(8):2168-74. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.111.646943. Epub 2012 May 24.