NCT07367490

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Versus Electromyographic Biofeedback on Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Patients With Stroke

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (actual)
• Sponsor: Cairo University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 45 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aims to investigate the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation versus electromyographic biofeedback on swallowing function and dysphagia severity in patients with stroke.

Detailed description

Dysphagia is a common symptom seen in stroke patients, it is affected patients' nutrition supply, and may causes aspiration pneumonia. To solve the problem of nutritional support, nasogastric tubes are routinely indwelling to provide nutrition. This feeding method sometimes causes food reflux, aspiration, pneumonia, and discomfort and self-image acceptance. Traditional exercise based on exercise like Shaker exercise, Chin resisted exercise and effortful training. Shaker exercise here is designed by professor Shaker has been regarded as popular rehabilitation training for dysphagia. Shaker exercise can strengthen upper esophageal sphincter, improving swallowing function. Chin resisted exercise were developed to strengthen the suprahyoid muscles, whose contractions facilitate the opening of the upper esophageal sphincter, thereby improving bolus transfer. Many studies reported that neuromuscular electrical stimulation can improve the swallowing function by enhancing swallowing coordination of post-stroke dysphagia patients. The improving of swallowing by surface electrical stimulation enhances raising and contraction of the hyoid bone of patients during swallowing. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (VitalStim Plus), a method for stimulating muscles with short electrical pulses, is widely used in the therapy of stroke patients with pharyngeal dysphagia. It enhances the strength of the muscles associated with swallowing and facilitates reflex swallowing by sensory stimulation. Using surface electromyography in post-stroke dysphagia cases increase ability of submental muscles activity and performance. Biofeedback or surface electromyography to ensure that target swallowing movements are being trained during rehabilitation, rather than maladaptive movements. Applying EMG-biofeedback add motivation to the therapy. Both neuromuscular electrical stimulation and surface electromyography biofeedback improve recovery of swallowing function in stroke patients with dysphagia but yet there is no evidence about the most effective modality for improving swallowing in patients with acute stroke. So, this study was conducted to investigate and compare between effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and electromyographic biofeedback on swallowing function and dysphagia severity in patients with stroke.

Conditions

• Stroke

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Neuromuscular electrical stimulation	Two pairs of electrodes were placed horizontally over the submental and paratracheal (thyroid cartilage) regions. Surged neuromuscular electrical stimulation was applied at a frequency of 80 Hz with a pulse duration of 200-300 µs. Stimulation was delivered for 30 minutes per session, five days per week, over an eight-week period.
DEVICE	Electromyographic Biofeedback	It is a safe, simple, noninvasive treatment method means that can collect electromyographic signal of muscle activity for quantitative and qualitative analysis of neuromuscular functions.
OTHER	Selected physical therapy program	It includes lips exercise, tongue exercises, effortful swallowing maneuver, Mendelsohn maneuver and neck muscle exercise.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-07-15
• Primary completion: 2026-01-15
• Completion: 2026-01-15
• First posted: 2026-01-26
• Last updated: 2026-01-29

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Egypt