{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T06:10:46Z","timestamp":1790143846427,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":15,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790121600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Rehabil. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A randomized controlled trial (NCT04910217) demonstrated that the addition of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) using the Lokomat Pro FreeD to protocol-defined conventional rehabilitation in the early subacute phase of first-ever ischemic stroke produced significant gains in functional ambulation category (FAC), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Whether these benefits differ across clinically relevant subgroups remains unclear. We investigated potential effect modification by baseline characteristics.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      We performed a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u200942 randomized; 36 completed follow-up: 17 RAGT, 19 conventional). Outcomes included \u22652-point FAC improvement and changes in BBS and TUG at 3 months. Subgroups were defined by stroke localization, baseline FAC (0\u20131 vs. 2\u20133), age, and recanalization treatment. Interaction effects were assessed using logistic regression for FAC; continuous outcomes were compared within subgroups using Mann\u2013Whitney tests. No correction happened for multiple comparisons.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      The largest differential effect of RAGT was observed in patients with low baseline ambulatory capacity (FAC 0\u20131): 90.0% of RAGT patients versus 45.5% in the conventional group achieved \u22652-point FAC improvement at 3 months (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.039,\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u200915). BBS gains were higher in this subgroup (median 27 vs. 12 points;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.031), although this may partly reflect lower baseline values and greater recovery potential. Greater TUG improvement was observed in patients with anterior circulation stroke (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.041). No subgroup showed a reversal of treatment effect.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>RAGT may confer greater benefit in patients with severe initial gait impairment. These exploratory findings support targeted evaluation in larger trials.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fresc.2026.1897418","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T05:50:13Z","timestamp":1790142613000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Robot-assisted gait training yields superior functional gains in non-ambulatory subacute stroke patients"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"7","author":[{"given":"Alice","family":"Najsrova","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Iva","family":"Fiedorova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, University Hospital Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Istv\u00e1n","family":"Szegedi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]},{"name":"Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen","place":["Debrecen, Hungary"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sarka","family":"Banikova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, University Hospital Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tomas","family":"Adamec","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, University Hospital Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adela","family":"Konde","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of the Deputy Director for Science, Research and Education, University Hospital Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]},{"name":"Department of Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vysoka Skola Banska - Technical University of Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pavla","family":"Hanzlikova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiodiagnostics, University Hospital Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aravind","family":"Ganesh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departments of Clinical Neurosciences and Community Health Sciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine","place":["Calgary, AB, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michal","family":"Bar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]},{"name":"Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ondrej","family":"Volny","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]},{"name":"Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ostrava","place":["Ostrava, Czechia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1314","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apmr.2007.06.764","article-title":"Predictive validity and responsiveness of the functional ambulation category in hemiparetic patients after stroke","volume":"88","author":"Mehrholz","year":"2007","journal-title":"Arch Phys Med Rehabil"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"CD006185","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.CD006185.pub6","article-title":"Electromechanical-assisted training for walking after stroke","volume":"5","author":"Mehrholz","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst Rev"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"880","DOI":"10.1177\/23969873231191304","article-title":"Motor rehabilitation after stroke: European Stroke Organisation (ESO) consensus-based definition and guiding framework","volume":"8","author":"Kwakkel","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur Stroke J"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.4103\/aian.aian_526_25","article-title":"Robot-assisted gait therapy in the subacute phase of ischemic stroke: a randomized controlled trial","volume":"29","author":"Fiedorova","year":"2026","journal-title":"Ann Indian Acad Neurol"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"661815","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2021.661815","article-title":"The effect of robotic assisted gait training with Lokomat(R) on balance control after stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"12","author":"Baronchelli","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Neurol"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.3389\/fnsys.2019.00074","article-title":"Principles of neurorehabilitation after stroke based on motor learning and brain plasticity mechanisms","volume":"13","author":"Maier","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front Syst Neurosci"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci13010092","article-title":"Balance rehabilitation through robot-Assisted gait training in post-stroke Patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"13","author":"Loro","year":"2023","journal-title":"Brain Sci"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"348","DOI":"10.1016\/S1474-4422(19)30415-6","article-title":"Advances and challenges in stroke rehabilitation","volume":"19","author":"Stinear","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Neurol"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"460","DOI":"10.23736\/S1973-9087.21.06887-8","article-title":"Robotic-assisted gait rehabilitation following stroke: a systematic review of current guidelines and practical clinical recommendations","volume":"57","author":"Calabr\u00f2","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur J Phys Rehabil Med"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1160","DOI":"10.1177\/23969873251338142","article-title":"European Stroke Organisation (ESO) guideline on motor rehabilitation","volume":"10","author":"Alt Murphy","year":"2025","journal-title":"Eur Stroke J"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"361","DOI":"10.48095\/cccsnn2021361","article-title":"Study protocol - 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