METHODS article

Front. Stroke

Sec. Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation

Volume 4 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fstro.2025.1609541

A single-blind randomized trial on the efficacy of telerehabilitation in post-stroke cognitive impairment. CIPS-TER Study: rationale, design and methodology

Provisionally accepted
Eleonora  BarucciEleonora Barucci1Arianna  CavaliereArianna Cavaliere1Eleonora  PavanEleonora Pavan2Bendetta  FormelliBendetta Formelli1,3Francesca  CecchiFrancesca Cecchi2,4Cristina  PolitoCristina Polito2Giulia  SaltiGiulia Salti3Filippo  FratiniFilippo Fratini1Costanza  ParentiCostanza Parenti5Francesca  PesciniFrancesca Pescini3Giacomo  RediGiacomo Redi5Marzia  BaldereschiMarzia Baldereschi5Antonio  Di CarloAntonio Di Carlo5Emilia  SalvadoriEmilia Salvadori6Anna  PoggesiAnna Poggesi1,3*
  • 1NEUROFARBA Department, Neuroscience Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
  • 2IRCCS Don Carlo Gnocchi Firenze, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
  • 3Stroke Unit, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
  • 4Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
  • 5Institute of Neuroscience, Italian National Research Council, Florence, Italy
  • 6Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan, Milan, Lombardy, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Background and aims: Cognitive impairment (CI) after stroke is still a neglected consequence compared to other neurological deficits for which rehabilitation pathways are routinely available. Cognitive teleRehabilitation (CTR) represents an emerging approach that has the potential to reduce healthcare costs and potentially reaching many patients. By means of a randomized controlled trial, the aims are to investigate the prevalence of cognitive impairment after stroke and the efficacy of a CTR program in: a) reducing the risk of CI 6 months after stroke; b) generalizability of the cognitive training to real life; c) impact on cognitive performances. In the treated group, feasibility, adherence and appreciation of the CTR will also be evaluated.The CIPS-TER study is a 2-year prospective, single-blind, randomized clinical trial. One hundred patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke will be enrolled in the study, within 5-21 days after onset, and randomized to treatment or standard care. The CTR program will consist of up to 40 hours (8 weeks) of individual treatment based on memory, attention, executive functions, and visuospatial tasks to be autonomously performed with a tablet. The study outcomes will be evaluated at 6-month follow-up visit and will include the diagnosis of cognitive impairment, activities of daily living, quality of life, changes in frailty status and cognitive efficiency.Conclusions: CIPS-TER study will expand our knowledge on the potential effect of cognitive rehabilitation on future cognitive and functional decline after stroke.

Keywords: cognitive impairment, Stroke, telerehabilitation, Cognitive rehabilitation, poststroke cognitive impairment

Received: 02 May 2025; Accepted: 02 Jul 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Barucci, Cavaliere, Pavan, Formelli, Cecchi, Polito, Salti, Fratini, Parenti, Pescini, Redi, Baldereschi, Di Carlo, Salvadori and Poggesi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Anna Poggesi, Stroke Unit, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Tuscany, Italy

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