Effects of Repetitive Peripheral Magnetic Stimulation on Upper Limb Function and Cortical Motor-Evoked Potential in Patients with Stroke: A Pilot Study

This study investigated the effects of repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) on upper limb function and cortical motor-evoked potential amplitude (MEPa) in patients with stroke. Fourteen patients with stroke were randomly assigned to an experimental group that received rPMS and a control group that received neuromuscular electrical stimulation (seven patients each). Treatment was administered over 8 weeks, five times a week, 20 min/day. Upper limb function assessments included Fugl–Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and cortical MEPa, which were compared before and after the interventions. The experimental group showed significant differences in the FMA-UE, ARAT, and MEPa evaluations in the within-group comparison. In the between-group comparison, significant changes were absent for FMA-UE and ARAT, whereas MEPa differed significantly in the experimental group. This study provides evidence that rPMS in patients with stroke is effective in improving upper limb function and cortical motor-evoked potential.