Hanger, Inc. (HGR) has announced the publication of the findings from the INSTRIDE WalkAide trial conducted by the company. The findings of the trial have been published in the peer-reviewed journal called Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, under the title ‘The Effects of Peroneal Nerve Functional Electrical Stimulation versus Ankle-Foot Orthosis in Patients with Chronic Stroke: a Randomized Controlled Trial’.
The INSTRIDE multi-center randomized controlled trial was undertaken by Hanger to compare changes in gait and quality of life between individuals used to wearing the WalkAide and those using an Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO).
The INSTRIDE WalkAide trial of Hanger covered 495 participants all of whom were identified as chronic stroke patients and had suffered a stroke in the past six months. Additionally, the participants also suffered from a form of lower leg paralysis or weakness known as foot drop.
Foot drop, which is also known as drop foot, refers to a patient’s inability to lift his or her foot naturally. Such impairment can naturally hinder a patient’s normal activities in his daily life.
The clinical trial confirmed that WalkAide is equivalent to the current standard of care- the Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) conventional brace, in bringing about improvements in gait speed and stroke-related quality of life measures. The trial results further validated that with the usage of the WalkAide, statistically significant and clinically-relevant improvements were noticed in a patient’s mobility.
The results of the INSTRIDE WalkAide trial by Hanger validate this medical device as a suitable alternative to conventional bracing, particularly in people suffering from foot drop caused by chronic stroke.
The results from the trial by Hanger have been presented to the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. CMS will take into consideration the findings of the trial enabling the highly advanced medical device to reach out to larger number of patients currently suffering from foot drop.
Currently, Hanger carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
Investors interested in the medical products industry can look at other stocks like NuVasive, Inc. (NUVA), Baxter International Inc. (BAX) and Covidien plc (COV). While NUVA carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), COV and BAX hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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