OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical feasibility of a newly developed, portable, gait assistive robot (WA-H, ‘walking assist for hemiplegia’) for improving the balance function of patients with stroke-induced hemiplegia. METHODS: Thirteen patients underwent 12 weeks of gait training on the treadmill while wearing WA-H for 30 minutes per day, 4 days a week. Patients' balance function was evaluated by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale (FMAS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) before and after 6 and 12 weeks of training. RESULTS: There were no serious complications or clinical difficulties during gait training with WA-H. In three categories of BBS, TUGT, and the balance scale of SPPB, there was a statistically significant improvement at the 6th week and 12th week of gait training with WA-H. In the subscale of balance function of FMAS, there was statistically significant improvement only at the 12th week. CONCLUSION: Gait training using WA-H demonstrated a beneficial effect on balance function in patients with hemiplegia without a safety issue.
Gait* ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Rehabilitation* ; Robotics ; Stroke

PURPOSE: The present study developed formulas for estimation of standard liver volume (SLV) with high accuracy for the Korean population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SLV estimation formulas were established using gender-balanced and gender-unbalanced measurements of anthropometric variables, body composition variables, and abdominal geometry of healthy Koreans (n=790). Total liver volume excluding blood volume, was measured based on CT volumetry. RESULTS: SLV estimation formulas as preferred in various conditions of data availability were suggested in the present study. The suggested SLV estimation formulas in the present study were found superior to existing formulas, with an increased accuracy of 4.0–217.5 mL for absolute error and 0.2–18.7% for percentage of absolute error. CONCLUSION: SLV estimation formulas using gender-balanced measurements showed better performance than those using gender-unbalanced measurements. Inclusion of body composition and abdominal geometry variables contributed to improved performance of SLV estimation.
Blood Volume ; Body Composition* ; Liver*