Table 1 Study characteristics based on country, type of illness, objective and study population

Wagner et al., 2011

1

USA

Patients with moderate to severe motor impairment of the upper limbs, caused by stroke, admitted to a center 6-months after stroke

Determine the additional cost of robot-assisted therapy and tested its cost-effectiveness

Male, n (%):

RT: 47 (96)

ICT:48 (96)

UC: 27 (96)

Female, n (%):

RT: 2 (4)

ICT: 2 (4)

UC: 1 (4)

Total: 127

Age, Mean (SD)

RT: 66(11)

ICT:64 (11)

UC: 63 (12)

Hesse et al.,2014

2

Germany

Supratentorial stroke patients (hemorrhagic or ischemic)

Evaluate the cost-effectiveness and the effectiveness of RAGT versus IAT to restore the motor function in the moderately to severely affected patient after stroke

Male, n (%):

RAGT+IAT: 13 (52)

IAT: 15 (60)

Female, n (%)

RAGT+IAT: 12 (48)

IAT: 10 (40)

Total: 50

Age, Mean (SD)

RAGT+IAT: 71.4 (15.5)

IAT: 69.7 (16.6)

Stefano et al., 2014

3

USA

Patients with stroke-induced upper limb impairment, acute or subacute hemiparetics. Shoulder, elbow or wrist muscle groups (patients with acute (< or =1 week of onset), unilateral, ischemic embolic, or thrombotic stroke)

To compare the costs of

such therapy to the control therapies used in the NeReBot

clinical trials run thus far

Male, n (%):

RT: 9 (64.29)

UC: 6 (75)

Female, n (%)

RT: 5 (35.71)

UC: 2 (25)

Total:22

Age, Mean (SD)

RT: 72.4 (7.1)

UC: 75.5 (4.8)

Lloréns et al., 2016

4

Spain

Chronic Outpatient with stroke with residual hemiparesis

- To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a VRT program in the balance recovery of individuals with hemiparesis after stroke in comparison with an in-clinic program.

- To compare the subjective experiences

- To contrast the costs of both programs.

Male, n (%):

VRT: 10 (66.7)

Control: 7 (46.7)

Female, n (%)

VRT: 5 (33.3)

Control: 8 (53.3)

Total:30

Age, Mean (SD)

VRT: 55.47(9.63)

Control: 55.60(7.29)

Bustamante Valles et al., 2016

5

Mexico

Hemiplegic patients in chronic phase secondary to stroke

To develop and deliver an effective and cost and labor cost-effectiveCost-effective

method of poststroke rehabilitation that encouraged

continued rehabilitation and was more or as effective as

traditional physical and occupational therapy approaches

Male, n (%):

RG: 3 (30)

Control:4 (40)

Female, n (%)

RG: 7 (70)

Control: 6 (60)

Total:20

Age, Mean (SD)

RG: 44.1(12.53)

Control: 64.1(8.38)

Housley et al., 2016

6

USA

Stroke survivors with unilateral ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke within the previous 24 months

To examine the efficacy of using a home-based, tele robotic-assisted device to: improve functional ability, reduce depression symptoms, and create a satisfactory experience, increase access to, and monitor participant utilization of cost-effective rehabilitation compared to the cost of clinic-based therapy for rural stroke survivors

Male, n (%):19 (95)

Female, n (%):5 (5)

Total: 20

Age, Mean (SD)

VRT: 55.47(9.63)

Control: 55.60(7.29)

Adie et al., 2017

7

UK

Patients with weakness following a stroke with the previous six months

Evaluate the efficacy of using the Wii^TM to improve affected arm function after stroke

Male, n (%):

Wii^TM: 66 (56.41)

CT: 65 (53.39)

Female, n (%)

Wii^TM: 51 (43.59)

CT: 53 (46.61)

Total: 235

Age, Mean (SD):

Wii^TM: 73.1(5.8)

Usual care: 73.0(5.5)

Islam and Brunner, 2019

8

Denmark, Norway, and

Belgium

Patients with unilateral ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke within the 3 first months after suffering a stroke

To explore cost considerations of VR training in stroke

Male, n (%):

VRT: 42(68)

C6T: 35 (60)

Female, n (%)

VRT: 20 (32)

CT: 23 (40)

Total=120

Age, Mean (minimum-maximum)

VRT: 62 (23–89)

CT: 62 (41–87)

Prvu Bettger et al., 2020

9

USA

Patients with TKA

To examine costs and

clinical noninferiority of a VPT program compared with

traditional PT care after TKA

Male, n (%):

VPT: 61(40.40),

UC: 53 (34.60)

Female, n (%):

VPT: 90 (59.60)

UC: 100 (65.40)

Total:304

Age, Mean (SD)

VPT: 65.40 (7.7)

Control: 65.1 (9.2)

Rémy-Néris et al., 2021

10

France

Patients

aged 18 to 80 years, 3 weeks to 3 months poststroke with a FM Assessment score of 10 to 40 points

To determine differences in cost utility between

the two interventions at D30 and M12

Male, n (%):

Exo group: 73(67.59)

Control:67(62.62)

Female, n (%):

Exo group: 35(32.42)

Control:40(37.38)

Total:215

Age, Mean (SD):

Exo group: 73(67.59)

Control:67(62.62)

Fernandez-Garcia et al., 2021

11

UK

Patients with moderate or severe upper limber functional limitation from first-ever stroke

To determine whether

RAT is cost-effective

compared with an

EULT programme or usual care

Male, n (%):

RAT: 156 (61%)

EULT:159 (61%)

Control: 153 (60%)

Female, n (%):

RAT: 101 (39%)

EULT: 100 (39%)

UC: 101 (40%)

Total:770

Age, Mean (SD):

RAT: 59.9 (13.5)

EULT: 59.4 (14.3)

UC: 62.5 (12.5)