SynthesisJournal of medical Internet research2026
Robot-Assisted Therapy for Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Stroke: Umbrella Review.
Synthesis in Journal of medical Internet research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- A Muscle Fiber-Based Soft Hand Exoskeleton Control Strategy for Fine Manipulation: A Preliminary Investigation.Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Use of Robotic Devices in Upper Limb Rehabilitation for Adult Stroke Patients: A Critical Appraisal.Health science reports · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundStroke is a leading cause of long-term upper limb disability, severely impacting patients' independence and quality of life. Robot-assisted therapy (RAT) has emerged as a promising, high-intensity rehabilitation alternative. However, conclusions from existing systematic reviews on its efficacy are inconsistent and often lack a holistic framework, limiting their use for guiding personalized clinical decisions.
objectiveThis study aims to systematically synthesize recent evidence on RAT for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke. Guided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework, it moves beyond singular outcomes to provide a multidimensional evaluation across body function, activity, and participation levels. The review aims to provide stratified guidance for clinical decision-making based on patient- and intervention-specific characteristics, thereby supporting evidence-based practice and informing future research.
methodsThis study included systematic reviews and meta-analyses published from January 1, 2019, to December 26, 2025, comparing RAT with conventional therapy for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke. Overall, 6 databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase, were searched. Two reviewers (XZ and LZ) independently performed study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment using the AMSTAR 2 tool. The synthesis integrated outcome measures and subgroup analyses derived from the included studies.
resultsThis umbrella review included 21 meta-analyses encompassing 535 randomized controlled trials and 27,598 patients across acute, subacute, and chronic stroke stages. According to AMSTAR 2, 17 reviews were high quality, 3 moderate, and 1 critically low. The synthesis demonstrated that RAT was superior in improving upper limb motor function, but no statistically significant advantages were observed in activities of daily living compared to conventional therapy. Subgroup analyses revealed that treatment effects were influenced by stroke stage, upper limb motor impairment level, and robot type.
conclusionsRAT is an effective intervention for improving upper limb motor function after stroke. However, its benefits are primarily observed at the level of body function, with limited evidence for long-term maintenance. The current evidence is constrained by significant outcome heterogeneity and methodological limitations inherent to umbrella reviews. Future research should validate these findings in broader clinical practice, focus on translating functional gains into sustained improvements in daily activities and participation, and include cost-effectiveness evaluations.
trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42024497183; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024497183.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.