Purposes: To identify and synthesize RCTs on the isolated effect of dosage parameters of upper limb Intensive Motor Rehabilitation Treatments (IMRT) of children with Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy (USCP); to identify the most frequent methodological weaknesses. Methods: Searches were conducted until September 2018 in gray and published literature databases and supplemented by exploring the identified studies' references. Inclusion criteria applied: RCT; children aged 1.5 to 19 years with USCP; upper limb IMRT differing only from ≥1/4 dosage parameters between groups. Literature analyses conducted: qualitative and descriptive. Results: We identified 461 studies. Seventeen were included: three presented a rehabilitation dosage distinction between groups in Frequency-Time, four in Intensity-Progressivity, three in Intensity-Restraint, two in Intensity-Environment and five presented ≥3 distinctions above. Conclusions: Inconsistencies were noted between USCP lifelong issues, and the short follow-ups and lack of participation assessments. Confounding factors and misstatements in Intent To Treat (ITT) analyses were identified. A meta-analysis was considered irrelevant.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.