Deans' stroke musings: ENTF Neuromodulation Yields Reduced Disability After Stroke: An Individual Participant-Level Data Meta-Analysis

Changing stroke rehab and research worldwide now.Time is Brain! trillions and trillions of neurons that DIE each day because there are NO effective hyperacute therapies besides tPA(only 12% effective). I have 523 posts on hyperacute therapy, enough for researchers to spend decades proving them out. These are my personal ideas and blog on stroke rehabilitation and stroke research. Do not attempt any of these without checking with your medical provider. Unless you join me in agitating, when you need these therapies they won't be there.

What this blog is for:

My blog is not to help survivors recover, it is to have the 10 million yearly stroke survivors light fires underneath their doctors, stroke hospitals and stroke researchers to get stroke solved. 100% recovery. The stroke medical world is completely failing at that goal, they don't even have it as a goal. Shortly after getting out of the hospital and getting NO information on the process or protocols of stroke rehabilitation and recovery I started searching on the internet and found that no other survivor received useful information. This is an attempt to cover all stroke rehabilitation information that should be readily available to survivors so they can talk with informed knowledge to their medical staff. It lays out what needs to be done to get stroke survivors closer to 100% recovery. It's quite disgusting that this information is not available from every stroke association and doctors group.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

ENTF Neuromodulation Yields Reduced Disability After Stroke: An Individual Participant-Level Data Meta-Analysis

Reduces is NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I expect more from superstar stroke researchers like Steven C. Cramer

Dr. Steven Cramer (25 posts to October 2011)

ENTF Neuromodulation Yields Reduced Disability After Stroke: An Individual Participant-Level Data Meta-Analysis

Jeffrey L. Saver, MD https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9141-2251 jsaver@mednet.ucla.edu, Joel Stein, MD https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5527-025X,

Steven C. Cramer, MD, MMSC https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6214-6211, Pamela W. Duncan, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4838-3253,

Batsheva Sarah Weisinger, MS https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2409-617X, Dharam P. Pandey, PhD https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6525-7514, and Natan M. Bornstein, MD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4442-8637Author Info & Affiliations

Stroke

New online

https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.125.054959

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Electromagnetic network-targeted field (ENTF) brain stimulation therapy is a promising approach to reduce poststroke disability. Two pilot, randomized, sham-controlled trials showed safety and signals of efficacy. The aim of this study was to perform a pooled analysis with greater statistical power to characterize with precision the effect of ENTF in promoting recovery and reducing disability.

METHODS:

We pooled individual patient-level data from 2 double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled studies, BQ3 (BrainQ3 Trial; Unique identifier: NCT04039178) and EMAGINE 1 (Electromagnetic Field Ischemic Stroke-Novel Subacute Treatment Trial; NCT05044507). Key entry criteria in both trials were (1) 4 to 21 days post-ischemic stroke and (2) Fugl-Meyer assessment-upper extremity score of 10 to 45. For EMAGINE 1, an additional criterion was a study entry modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 3 to 4. The primary outcome for this pooled analysis was freedom-from-disability (mRS score, 0–1) at 8 to 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes were level of disability (ordinal mRS score distribution), disability (mRS score) change from entry to 8 to 12 weeks, and 2 focused upper extremity motor end points.

RESULTS:

Altogether, 124 patients were included (active n=65; sham n=59). The mean age was 58.2±13.1 years, 31% were female, the study entry Fugl-Meyer assessment-upper extremity score was 25.3 (±10.6), and the therapy started 14.5 (±4.9) days poststroke. The study entry mRS score was 3.9 (±0.36), and 123/124 (99.2%) had a study entry mRS score of 3 to 4. Study entry features were well-balanced across treatment groups. At 8 to 12 weeks, freedom-from-disability was higher with active ENTF than sham stimulation (33.8% versus 11.9%; P=0.005). Ordinal shift across 3 disability strata (mRS score, 0–1, 2, and >2) also favored ENTF (P=0.009). Focused upper extremity motor end points nonsignificantly favored ENTF. Safety analyses showed no device- or procedure-related serious adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS:

In pooled data from 2 randomized, sham-controlled trials, treatment with ENTF compared with sham for patients with subacute ischemic stroke with moderate-severe study entry disability yielded increased achieved freedom-from-disability, greater disability improvement from study entry, and reduced final disability level. These findings, together with an attractive safety profile, support ENTF as a promising therapy for stroke recovery.