| Criteria
| Stroke severity
| Electromechanical device used | Duration of study intervention
| Aetiology (ischaemic/haemorrhagic)
| Intensity of treatment per day
| Description of control intervention
| Dropouts
| Reasons for dropout and adverse events in experimental group
| Reasons for dropout and adverse events in control group
| Source of information
|
| Aprile 2017
| Not stated
| G‐EO system
| 45 days, 20 sessions
| Not stated
| 45 minutes, 3 times a week
| Traditional gait rehabilitation, 1 hour, 3 times a week
| 0 of 14
| None | None | Published information
|
| Aprile 2019
| Not stated
| G‐EO system | 20 sessions
| 8/4
| 45 minutes, 3 times a week
| Traditional gait rehabilitation, 3 times a week, 20 sessions
| 0 of 26
| None | None | Published information |
| Aschbacher 2006 | Not stated | Lokomat | 3 weeks | Not stated | 30 minutes, 5 times a week | Task‐oriented physiotherapy, 5 times a week for 3 weeks (2.5 hours a week) | 4 of 23 | Not stated | Not stated | Unpublished information in the form of a conference presentation |
| Bang 2016 | Unclear | Lokomat | 4 weeks | 13/5 | 60 minutes, 5 times a week (20 sessions) | Treadmill training without body weight support | 0 of 18 | None | None | Published information |
| Belas dos Santos 2018
| SARA,
18 points | Lokomat | 5 months | 4/11 | 60 minutes, 3 times a week | Therapist‐assisted gait training, once a week, 60 minutes, for 5 months
| 4 of 19
| Participants not complying with protocol treatment criteria in intervention group | Not stated | Published information |
| Bergmann 2018
| Not stated
| Lokomat
| 2 weeks
| 8/7 | 60 minutes, 8 to 10 sessions in 2 weeks
| Non‐robotic physiotherapy described as training of postural control including sensory feedback components in sitting, sit‐to‐stand, standing, and walking, if possible, 60 minutes or 30 minutes with 2 therapists, 8 to 10 sessions in 2 weeks
| 12 of 38 | No pusher behaviour at start of treatment (n = 3),
second stroke (n = 2).
infection (n = 1).
pain lower limb (n = 3).
transfer to another hospital (n = 1)
| No pusher behaviour at start of treatment
(n = 1),
infection (n = 1)
| Published information |
| Calabrò 2018
| Not stated
| Ekso
| 8 weeks
| Not stated
| 45 minutes, 5 days a week
| Conventional over‐ground gait training
| 0 of 40
| None
| None
| Published information |
| Brincks 2011 | Mean FIM,
92 points | Lokomat | 3 weeks | Not stated | Not stated | Physiotherapy | 0 of 13 | None | None | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors |
| Buesing 2015 | Unclear | Wearable exoskeleton Stride Management Assist system (SMA) | 6 to 8 weeks | Unclear | 3 times per week for maximum of 18 sessions | Functional task‐specific training (intensive over‐ground training and mobility training) | 0 of 50 | None | None | Published information |
| Chang 2012 | Not stated | Lokomat | 10 days | Not stated | 30 minutes daily for 10 days | Conventional gait training by physical therapists (with equal therapy time and same number of sessions as experimental group) | 3 of 40 | Not described by group
(3 participants dropped out: 1 due to aspiration pneumonia, 2 were unable to co‐operate fully with experimental procedure) | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors |
| Cho 2015 | Mean modified Barthel Index, 36 points | Lokomat | 8 weeks (2 phases, cross‐over after 4 weeks) | 4/14 (2 both) | 30 minutes, 3 times a week for 4 weeks | Bobath (neurophysiological exercises, inhibition of spasticity and synergy pattern) | 0 of 20 | None | None | Published information |
| Chua 2016 | Mean Barthel Index, 49 points | Gait Trainer | 8 weeks | Not stated | Not stated | Physiotherapy including 25 minutes of stance/gait, 10 minutes cycling, 10 minutes tilt table standing | 20 of 106 | 2 deaths, 3 refusals, 1 medical problem, 1 transport problem
(1 pain as adverse event) | 1 death, 6 refusals, 3 medical problems, 1 administrative problem, 2 inability to contact
(no adverse events) | Published information |
| Dias 2006 | Mean Barthel Index, 75 points | Gait Trainer | 4 weeks | Not stated | 40 minutes, 5 times a week | Bobath method, 5 times a week for 5 weeks | 0 of 40 | None | None | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors |
| Erbil 2018
| Not stated
| RoboGait
| 3 weeks | 28/15
| 90 minutes, 5 days/week | Physical therapy including stretching, strengthening exercises, proprioception, weight bearing, balance, co‐ordination, and ambulatory training 90 minutes, 5 days/week
| 5 of 48
| Not stated
| Not stated
| Published information
|
| Fisher 2008 | Not stated | AutoAmbulator | 24 sessions | Not stated | Minimum 3 sessions a week up to 5 sessions; number of minutes in each session unclear | Standard physical therapy, 3 to 5 times a week for 24 consecutive sessions | 0 of 20 | 14 adverse events No details provided | 11 adverse events No details provided | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors |
| Forrester 2014 | Mean FIM
walk, 1 point | Anklebot | 8 to 10 sessions (with ca. 200 repetitions) | Not stated | 60 minutes, 8 to 10 sessions | Stretching of the paretic ankle | 5 of 34 | Total of 5 dropouts across both groups (1 medical complication, 1 discharge before study end, 2 times post stroke > 49 days, 1 non‐compliance) | Published information provided by study authors |
| Gandolfi 2019
| Mean European Stroke Scale, 72 points; Barthel Index 90 points | G‐EO system | 5 weeks, 10 individual rehabilitation sessions | 13/3 | 45 minutes/2 days per week
| Sensory Integration Balance Training including over‐ground gait training, stairs up and down, passive lower limb joint mobilisation and stretching exercises same duration as experimental group
| 4 of 32
| Not stated for both groups
| Published information
|
| Geroin 2011 | Mean European Stroke Scale, 80 points | Gait Trainer | 2 weeks | Not stated | 50 minutes, 5 times a week | Walking exercises according to the Bobath approach | 0 of 30 | None | None | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors |
| Han 2016 | Not stated | Lokomat | 4 weeks | 33/23 | 30 minutes, 5 times a week | Neurodevelopmental techniques for balance and mobility | 4 of 60 | None | 4 unclear reasons | Published information provided by study authors |
| Hidler 2009 | Not stated | Lokomat | 8 to 10 weeks (24 sessions) | 47/16 | 45 minutes, 3 days a week | Conventional gait training, 3 times a week for 8 to 10 weeks (24 sessions), each session lasted 1.5 hours | 9 of 72 | Not described by group
(9 withdrew or were removed because of poor attendance or a decline in health, including 1 death, which according to study authors was unrelated to study) | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors |
| Hornby 2008 | Not stated | Lokomat | 12 sessions | 22/26 | 30 minutes,
12 sessions | Therapist‐assisted gait training, 12 sessions, each session lasted 30 minutes | 14 of 62 | 4 participants dropped out (2 discontinued secondary to leg pain during training, 1 experienced pitting oedema, and 1 had travel limitations) | 10 participants dropped out
(4 discontinued secondary to leg pain, 1 experienced injury outside therapy, 1 reported fear of falling during training, 1 presented with significant hypertension, 1 had travel limitations, and 2 experienced subjective exercise intolerance) | Published information provided by study authors |
| Husemann 2007 | Median Barthel Index, 35 points | Lokomat | 4 weeks | 22/8 | 30 minutes, 5 times a week | Conventional physiotherapy, 30 minutes per day for 4 weeks. Information as provided by study authors | 2 of 32 | 1 participant enteritis | 1 participant pulmonary embolism | Published information |
| Not stated
| Honda Stride Management Assist
| 6 to 8 weeks
| 33/17
| 45 minutes per session, 3 times per week
| Over‐ground gait training, functional task‐specific training
| 4 of 54
| 2 transportation problems | 2 transportation problems | Information as provided by study authors
|
| Kayabinar 2019
| Not stated
| Robot‐assisted device | 5 weeks
| Not stated
| 40 minutes,
15 sessions of training, 3 times per week
| Conventional gait training 40 minutes, 3 days per week
| 2 of 66
| 1 early discharge
| 1 early discharge | Information as provided by study authors
|
| Kelley 2013
| Not stated | Lokomat | 8 weeks | Not stated | 60 minutes, 5 times a week | Over‐ground gait training by physiotherapy on level and uneven surfaces | 1 of 21 | None | 1 withdrew | Information as provided by study authors |
| Kim 2015 | Mean Barthel Index, 20 points | Walkbot | 4 weeks | 13/13 | 30 minutes, 5 times a week | Conventional physiotherapy (bed mobility, stretching, balance training, strengthening, symmetry training, treadmill training) | 4 of 30 | 1 rib fracture, 3 decline in health condition | Information as provided by study authors |
| Kim 2019a
| Not stated | Lokomat | 4 weeks | Not stated | 60 minutes,
20 sessions | Conventional physical therapy (CPT) | 2 of 19 | 1 withdrew | 1 withdrew | Published information |
| Kim 2019b
| Mean Barthel Index, 55 points | Morning Walk | 3 weeks | 16/32 | 1.5 hours per session, 5 times per week | Conventional physiotherapy | 10 of 58 | 1 medical complication 1 unstable mood 1 isolation | 7 early discharge | Published information |
| Kwon 2018 | Not stated | Exowalk | 4 weeks | Not stated | 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week | Physical therapist‐assisted gait training | 0 of 41 | None | None | Published information |
| Kyung 2008 | Not stated | Lokomat | 4 weeks | 18/7 | 45 minutes, 3 days a week | Conventional physiotherapy, received equal time and sessions of conventional gait training | 10 of 35 | 1 participant dropped out for private reasons (travelling); adverse events not described | 9 participants refused after randomisation (reasons not provided); adverse events not described | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors |
| Lee 2019
| Not stated | Gait Enhancing and Motivating System | 4 weeks | 18/8 | 45 minutes, 3 times per week, 10 sessions | Gait training without Gait Enhancing and Motivating System | 2 of 28 | None | 2 withdrew | Published information |
| Mayr 2008 | Not stated | Lokomat | 8 weeks | Not stated | Not stated | Add‐on conventional physiotherapy, received equal time and sessions of conventional gait training | 13 of 74 | 4 participants dropped out (reasons not provided); adverse events not described | 9 participants dropped out (reasons not provided) | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors |
| Mayr 2018
| Not stated | Lokomat | 8 weeks | Not stated | 2 hours, 5 times a week | Conventional over‐ground physical therapy | 8 of 74 | 7 change in clinical condition | 5 change in clinical condition, 2 lack of compliance | Published information |
| Morone 2011 | Canadian Neurological Scale, 6 points | Gait Trainer | 4 weeks | 41/7 | 40 minutes, 5 times a week | Focused on trunk stabilisation, weight transfer to paretic leg, and walking between parallel
bars or on the ground. Participant was helped by 1 or 2 therapists and walking aids if necessary | 21 of 48 | 12 (hypotension, referred weakness, knee pain, urinary infection, uncontrolled blood pressure, fever, absence of physiotherapist) | 9 (hypotension, referred weakness, knee pain, ankle pain, uncontrolled blood pressure, fever, absence of physiotherapist) | Information as provided by study authors |
| Nam 2019
| Mean Barthel Index, 16 points | Exowalk | 4 weeks | 20/14 | 30 minutes, 5 days a week | Physical therapist‐assisted gait training by conventional method | 6 of 40 | 6 did not complete gait training
because of individual schedule | Published information |
| Nam 2020
| Not stated | Exowalk | 2 weeks
| 25/13 | 60 minutes, 5 days a week | Physical therapist‐assisted gait training | 2 of 40
| 2 personal reasons | None | Published information |
| Noser 2012 | Not stated | Lokomat | Unclear | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 1 of 21 | No dropouts; 2 serious adverse events (1 skin breakdown as a result of therapy, 1 second stroke during post‐treatment phase) | 1 dropout due to protocol violation;
2 serious adverse events (1 sudden drop in blood pressure at participant's home leading to brief hospitalisation; 1 sudden chest pain before therapy leading to brief hospitalisation) | Information as provided by study authors |
| Ochi 2015 | Not stated | Gait‐assistance robot (consisting of 4 robotic arms for thighs and legs, thigh cuffs, leg apparatuses, and a treadmill) | 4 weeks | 10/16 | 20 minutes, 5 times a week for 4 weeks, in addition to rehabilitation treatment | Range‐of‐motion exercises, muscle strengthening, rolling over and sit‐to‐stand and activity and gait exercises | 0 of 26 | None | None | Published information |
| Park 2018
| Mean modified Barthel Index, 55 points | Lokomat Pro | 6 weeks | 20/20 | 45 minutes, 3 times a week | General gait training using a treadmill | 0 of 40
| None | None | Published information |
| Peurala 2005 | Scandinavian Stroke Scale, 42 points | Gait Trainer | 3 weeks | 25/20 | 20 minutes, 5 times a week for 3 weeks, in addition to rehabilitation treatment | Walking over‐ground; all participants practised gait for 15 sessions over 3 weeks (each session lasted 20 minutes) | 0 of 45 | None | None | Published information |
| Peurala 2009 | Not stated | Gait Trainer | 3 weeks | 42/14 | 20 minutes, 5 times a week for 3 weeks, in addition to rehabilitation treatment | Over‐ground walking training; in the other control group, 1 or 2 physiotherapy sessions daily but not at the same intensity as in the other groups | 9 of 56 | 5 dropouts
(2 situation worsened after 1 to 2 treatment days; 1 had 2 unsuccessful attempts with device; 1 had scheduling problems; 1 felt protocol too demanding) | 4 dropouts
(1 felt protocol too demanding; 2 situation worsened after 1 to 2 treatment days; 1 death) | Published information |
| Picelli 2016 | Not stated | G‐EO system evolution | 30 minutes a day for 5 consecutive days | Not stated | 5 days in addition to botulinum toxin injection of calf muscles | None | 0 of 22 | None | None | Published information |
| Pohl 2007 | Mean Barthel Index, 37 points | Gait Trainer | 4 weeks | 124/31 | 20 minutes, 5 times a week | Physiotherapy every weekday for 4 weeks | 11 of 155 | 2 participants refused therapy, 1 increased cranial pressure, 1 relapsing pancreas tumour, 1 cardiovascular unstable | 4 participants refused therapy, 1 participant died,1 myocardial infarction | Published information |
| Saltuari 2004 | Not stated | Lokomat | 2 weeks | 13/3 | A‐B‐A study: in phase A, 30 minutes, 5 days a week | Physiotherapy every weekday for 3 weeks (phase B) | 0 of 16 | None | None | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors. |
| Schwartz 2006 | Mean NIHSS, 11 points | Lokomat | 6 weeks | 49/67 | 30 minutes, 3 times a week | Physiotherapy with additional gait training 3 times a week for 6 weeks | 6 of 46 | 2 participants with leg wounds, 1 with recurrent stroke, 1 refused therapy | 1 participant with recurrent stroke, 1 with pulmonary embolism | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors. |
| Sczesny‐Kaiser 2019
| Mean Barthel Index, 91 points | Hybrid assistive limb | 6 weeks | 14/4 | 30 minutes, 5 times a week, 30 sessions | Conventional physiotherapy | 0 of 18 | None | None | Published Information |
| Stein 2014 | Not stated | Bionic leg device
(AlterG) | 6 weeks | Not stated | 1 hour, 3 times a week for 6 weeks | Group exercises | 0 of 24 | None | None | Published information |
| Stolz 2019
| Mean FIM, 51 points | Robowalk | 3 months | 29/7 | 30 minutes, 5 days a week | Conventional physiotherapy | 4/40 | None | 2 medically unstable 2 withdrew | Published information |
| Tanaka 2012 | Mean FIM, 79 points | Gait Master4 | 4 weeks | Not stated | 20 minutes, 2 or 3 times a week (12 sessions) | Non‐intervention (non‐training) | 0 of 12 | None | None | Published information |
| Tanaka 2019
| Not stated
| Stride Management Assist
| 10 consecutive days
| 29/12
| 1 to 2 hours with 10 minutes or longer including RAGT
| Conventional gait training
| 5/41
| 1 participant had trouble with leg brace;
2 participants for personal reasons | 2 participants for personal reasons
| Published information
|
| Taveggia 2016
| Mean NIHSS 7 points | Lokomat | 5 weeks | Not stated | 30 minutes, 5 sessions a week | Conventional gait training | 0 of 28 | None | None | Published information |
| Tomida 2019
| Not stated
| GEAR system
| 4 weeks
| 6/20
| 40 minutes, 7 times a week | Conventional gait training | None
| None
| None
| Published information
|
| Tong 2006 | Mean Barthel Index, 51 points | Gait Trainer | 4 weeks | 39/11 | 20 minutes, 5 times a week | Conventional physiotherapy alone, based on Bobath concept | 4 of 50 | None | 2 participants discharged before study end, 1 participant readmitted to an acute ward, 1 participant deteriorating condition | Published information |
| Ucar 2014 | Not stated | Lokomat | 2 weeks | Not stated | 30 minutes, 5 times a week | Conventional physiotherapy at home (focused on gait) | 0 of 22 | None | None | Published information |
| Van Nunen 2012 | Not stated | Lokomat | 8 weeks | Not stated | 30 minutes, twice a week | Over‐ground walking therapy | 0 of 30 | None | None | Unpublished and published information provided by study authors |
| Waldman 2013 | Not stated | Portable rehab robot (ankle device) | 6 weeks | Not stated | 3 times a week, 18 sessions | Stretching plantar flexors and active exercises for ankle mobility and strength | 0 of 24 | None | None | Published information |
| Watanabe 2014 | Not stated | Single‐leg version of Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) | 4 weeks | 11/11 | 20 minutes,
12 sessions | Aimed to improve walking speed, endurance, balance, postural stability, and symmetry | 10 of 32 | 4 withdrew, 1 epilepsy, 1 technical reasons | 2 pneumonia, 2 discharged | Published information |
| Watanabe 2017
| Not stated | Robot Suit Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) | 4 weeks | 7/5 only intervention group, control group not stated | 3 times a week, minutes not stated | Conventional gait training | 10 of 33 | 4 withdrew 1 medical problem 1 technical reasons | 2 medical reasons 2 early discharged | Published information |
| Werner 2002 | Mean Barthel Index, 38 points | Gait Trainer | 2 weeks | 13/12 | 20 minutes, 5 times a week | Gait therapy including treadmill training with body weight support | 0 of 30 | None | None | Published information |
| Westlake 2009 | Not stated | Lokomat | 4 weeks (12 sessions) | 8/8 | 30 minutes, 3 times a week | 12 physiotherapy sessions including manually guided gait training (3 times a week over 4 weeks) | 0 of 16 | None | None | Published information |
| Yeung 2018
| Not stated | Exoskeleton ankle robot | 5 weeks | 14/5 | 30 minutes,
20 sessions | Gait training with passive ankle foot orthosis | 0 of 19 | None | None | Published information |
| Yun 2018
| Mean NIHSS, 12 points | Lokomat | 3 weeks | 11/25 | 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week | Conventional physical therapy based on neurodevelopmental techniques developed by Bobath and the physiotherapy proposed by Karnath
| 2 of 19 | 1 recurrent stroke | 1 pneumonia | Published information |
