%0 Journal Article
%T Neuromuscular electrical stimulation improves swallowing initiation in patients with post-stroke dysphagia.
%A Zhang YW
%A Dou ZL
%A Zhao F
%A Xie CQ
%A Shi J
%A Yang C
%A Wan GF
%A Wen HM
%A Chen PR
%A Tang ZM
%J Front Neurosci
%V 16
%N 0
%D 2022
%M 36452336
%F 5.152
%R 10.3389/fnins.2022.1011824
%X <B>UNASSIGNED: </B>More than half of post-stroke patients develop dysphagia, which manifests as delayed swallowing and is associated with a high risk of aspiration. In this study, we aimed to investigate the immediate effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on swallowing initiation in post-stroke patients using videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) data.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>This randomized, self-controlled crossover study included 35 patients with post-stroke dysphagia. All selected patients received real and sham NMES while swallowing 5 ml of thin liquid. Participants completed the conditions in random order, with a 10-min interval between conditions. The primary evaluation indicators included the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile-6 (MBSImp-6) and Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS). Secondary indicators included oral transit time (OTT), pharyngeal transit time (PTT), and laryngeal closure duration (LCD).<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile-6 (P = 0.008) and PAS (P < 0.001) scores were significantly lower in the Real-NMES condition than in the Sham-NMES condition. OTT (P < 0.001) was also significantly shorter during Real-NMES than during Sham-NMES. However, LCD (P = 0.225) and PTT (P = 0.161) did not significantly differ between the two conditions.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Neuromuscular electrical stimulation may represent a supplementary approach for promoting early feeding training in patients with post-stroke dysphagia.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>[https://clinicaltrials.gov/], identifier [ChiCTR2100052464].