A Pilot Study to Explore Patient Satisfaction With a Virtual Rehabilitation Program in Multiple Sclerosis: The RehabVR Study Protocol

Abstract

Background: Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising treatment approach in rehabilitation for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) due to its potential to increase patient motivation and rehabilitation adherence. One of the key features for rehabilitation adherence is patient satisfaction with the VR rehabilitation (VRR) program, and information on user satisfaction and not only effectiveness is required to systematically include VRR in routine clinical practice. Given that information on patient satisfaction with VRR is scarce, the primary objective of this study is to assess long-term patient satisfaction with a novel VRR program. This program has been specifically designed for MS patients by a multidisciplinary team of specialists, based on an effective conventional rehabilitation (CR) program. Secondarily, discomfort with VRR will be evaluated, and therapy adherence and changes in a variety of domains typically affected by MS will be compared between patients receiving VRR and patients receiving CR. Methods: In this prospective single-center 6-months follow-up study, 32 and 16 MS patients will receive VRR or CR, respectively. Patients will attend twice weekly rehabilitation sessions on site during 4 weeks, and they will continue with rehabilitation at home for five additional months. Satisfaction, assessed by the User Satisfaction Evaluation Questionnaire (USEQ), at 6 months of the VRR program initiation will be the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include adherence, disability, spasms and spasticity, balance, fatigue, activities of daily living (ADLs), depression, anxiety, work status, cognition, demographic, and clinical characteristics (in the VRR and CR groups), and discomfort (in the VRR group). Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, and at 1 and 6 months of rehabilitation initiation. Discussion: The study is intended to provide a better understanding of long-term patient satisfaction with a VRR program specifically designed for MS patients. Additionally, the study will provide information on long-term adherence, changes in motor symptoms, cognitive functions and patient-reported outcomes after the rehabilitation program. The results from this study will help to gather valuable knowledge on the use of rehabilitation with a new VR tool in MS patients.

Mixed Reality Platforms in Telehealth Delivery: Scoping Review

“…Moreover, many studies used VE in interactive game–based settings for rehabilitative exercise programs. In a program described by Meca-Lallana et al [ 53 ], patients were required to carry out specific tasks to accomplish a mission in 2 different scenes: a medieval fantasy world and a deserted island. Yet again, in another exercise setup, VR exercises depict a wooden church in Hrabova Roztoka.…”

“…In turn, the patient groups who have used telehealth for the purposes of rehabilitation have reported improvements in their quality of life, increased daily activities, and improved levels of motivation [42]. From the multiple studies included, telerehabilitation has been experimented as a home-based treatment for various neurological and cognitive disorders or diseases such as Parkinson disease, acquired brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease, and dementia [43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58].…”

“…Other clinical conditions such as neurological or cognitive disorders, musculoskeletal conditions, and postsurgical recovery have also adopted telerehabilitation facilities in the home or remote settings to continue treatment. Telerehabilitation used technical attributes of exergaming and serious gaming in improving the motor and cognitive functional skills [43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58].…”

Video game therapy on mobility and dual tasking in multiple sclerosis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

“…57 Virtual reality-based therapy has been proposed to overcome the drawbacks Open access of conventional rehabilitation, providing augmented feedback during training that contribute to a more effective motor learning. 58 Active video games may offer an enriched environment useful for subjects with neuropsychological disorders, like attentional deficit or impaired alertness. Exergaming has recently been studied as an effective strategy to improve dual-task performance in people with neurological disabilities.…”