Biofeedback as an Adjunctive Treatment for Post-stroke Dysphagia

NCT ID: NCT05591040

Last Updated: 2023-03-15

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 100 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-10-30
• Study Completion Date: 2025-10-03

Brief Summary

The aim of the study is to evaluate whether the effect of biofeedback treatment is more effective than a control treatment in the recovery of dysphagia.

This study will be a multicentric randomized, single-blind controlled study. The investigators intend to recruit 100 patients who have suffered a stroke and have dysphagia. Fifty patients will undergo training with bio-feedback (experimental group) and the other fifty patients will undergo standard training, using only verbal feedback rather than visual feedback (control group). Our hypothesis, based on the results obtained in some previous studies, is that in the control group the efficacy of the treatment will be lower in the absence of immediate visual feedback of strength, timing, coordination and efficacy of the swallowing act.

Detailed Description

The procedure is divided into the following steps:

• Clinical and instrumental evaluation (fibroendoscopy) of swallowing functions before the treatment;
• 20 sessions with bio feedback treatment or 20 session of control treatment;
• Clinical and instrumental evaluation (fibroendoscopy) of swallowing functions after the training;
• Clinical and instrumental evaluation (fibroendoscopy) of swallowing functions after 2 months as follow up. Each participant will attend 5 sessions per week for a total duration of 4 weeks. The duration of each session will take 1 hour, including bio-feedback preparation that will take about 10 minutes for assembly and 5 minutes for removal. At the beginning of the bio-feedback session, two surface electrodes will be applied to the mylohyoid muscle. The computer will analyze the electromyographic signal of the patient in real time and will produce visual feedback of the muscular activity on the screen. The patient will be required to swallow at a given time, with food bolus if possible, and perform maneuvers that favor swallowing strength and efficacy. During the first session, participant will be instructed to use the tool before starting the training phase. Patients of both groups will participate in similar sessions, with classical maneuvers favoring swallowing efficacy that is effortful swallow and specific task of timing and coordination (with bolus administration, if possible) and Masako maneuver. The experimental group will perform this training for 45 minutes with the support of visualization of muscle activity on the screen (biofeedback), while the control group will attend the same training for 45 minutes, but receiving verbal feedback from the speech and language therapist.

Data analysis

On the measures collected, a descriptive statistical analyzis and distribution will be studied. Initial instrumental and clinical data will be collected administrating: FOIS scale (Functional Oral Intake Scale), PAS (Penetration-Aspiration Scale), Yale Scale, MASA (Mann Assessment of Swallowing Abilities),SWAL QOL (outcomes tool for oropharyngeal dysphagia in adults), TOMASS (test of masticated and swallowing solids); Cranial nerves. All the tests will be analyzed using parametric (t-test) and non-parametric (Wilcoxon test) tests with a p-value considered significant if <0.05, while longitudinal variations will be analysed using ANOVA for repeated measurements.

Conditions

Dysphagia; Rehabilitation; Stroke

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Biofeedback

Each participant will attend 5 sessions per week for a total duration of 4 weeks. The duration of each session will take 1 hour, including bio-feedback preparation. At the beginning of the bio-feedback session, two surface electrodes will be applied to the mylohyoid muscle. The patient will be required to swallow at a given time, with food bolus if possible, and perform maneuvers that favour swallowing strength and efficacy: effortful swallow, specific task for timing and coordination, Masako maneuver. The experimental group will perform this training for 45 minutes, plus they will receive a verbal feedback from the speech and language therapist in relation to the efficacy of the performance.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Biofeedback

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Each participant will attend 5 sessions per week for a total duration of 4 weeks. The duration of each session will take 1 hour, including bio-feedback preparation. At the beginning of the bio-feedback session, two surface electrodes will be applied to the mylohyoid muscle. The patient will be required to swallow at a given time, with food bolus if possible, and perform maneuvers that favour swallowing strength and efficacy: effortful swallow, specific task for timing and coordination, Masako maneuver. The experimental group will perform this training for 45 minutes, plus they will receive a verbal feedback from the speech and language therapist in relation to the efficacy of the performance.

Conventional

Each participant will attend 5 sessions per week for a total duration of 4 weeks. The patient will be required to swallow at a given time, with food bolus if possible, and perform maneuvers that favour swallowing strength and efficacy: effortful swallow, specific task for timing and coordination, Masako maneuver. The control group will perform this training for 45 minutes, with a verbal feedback from the speech and language therapist in relation to the efficacy of the performance.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Conventional

Intervention Type: OTHER

Each participant will attend 5 sessions per week for a total duration of 4 weeks. The patient will be required to swallow at a given time, with food bolus if possible, and perform maneuvers that favour swallowing strength and efficacy: effortful swallow, specific task for timing and coordination, Masako maneuver. The control group will perform this training for 45 minutes, with a verbal feedback from the speech and language therapist in relation to the efficacy of the performance.

Interventions

Biofeedback

Each participant will attend 5 sessions per week for a total duration of 4 weeks. The duration of each session will take 1 hour, including bio-feedback preparation. At the beginning of the bio-feedback session, two surface electrodes will be applied to the mylohyoid muscle. The patient will be required to swallow at a given time, with food bolus if possible, and perform maneuvers that favour swallowing strength and efficacy: effortful swallow, specific task for timing and coordination, Masako maneuver. The experimental group will perform this training for 45 minutes, plus they will receive a verbal feedback from the speech and language therapist in relation to the efficacy of the performance.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Conventional

Each participant will attend 5 sessions per week for a total duration of 4 weeks. The patient will be required to swallow at a given time, with food bolus if possible, and perform maneuvers that favour swallowing strength and efficacy: effortful swallow, specific task for timing and coordination, Masako maneuver. The control group will perform this training for 45 minutes, with a verbal feedback from the speech and language therapist in relation to the efficacy of the performance.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Other Intervention Names

Neurotrac myoplus 2

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• first stroke injury
• onset from more than six weeks
• presence of dysphagia
• good comprehension ( not below PT 53 in Token Test)
• good eyesight and hearing, or adequately corrected

Exclusion Criteria

• All the elements that hinder a good recording of the electromyographic signal (for instance a cutaneous infection, a wound or a dermatitis in the submandibular area);
• Severe concomitant illnesses (fever, infections, metabolic problems, serious cardiac insufficiency) that can influence patient's collaboration;
• Serious dystonia or unintentional movements
• presence of disorders of consciousness;
• encephalopathy due to multiple infarcts;
• inability to sustain the experimental treatment;
• other neurological diseases (for example Parkinson disease)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 89 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Ospedale Policlinico San Martino

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Azienda Ulss 6 Euganea

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

IRCCS San Camillo, Venezia, Italy

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sara Nordio

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Sara Nordio

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

IRCCS San Camillo

Locations

Sara Nordio

Venice-Lido, , Italy

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Italy

Central Contacts

Sara Nordio

Role: CONTACT

snordio944@gmail.com

3494990310

Facility Contacts

Sara Nordio

Role: primary

References

Nordio S, Arcara G, Berta G, Dellai A, Brisotto C, Koch I, Cazzador D, Aspidistria M, Ventura L, Turolla A, D'Imperio D, Battel I. Biofeedback as an Adjunctive Treatment for Post-stroke Dysphagia: A Pilot-Randomized Controlled Trial. Dysphagia. 2022 Oct;37(5):1207-1216. doi: 10.1007/s00455-021-10385-2. Epub 2021 Nov 12.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 34767083 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

BIOFEEDBACK_DYS/2022.06

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id