Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Apr;38(2):153-9.
doi: 10.5535/arm.2014.38.2.153. Epub 2014 Apr 29.

The effect of early neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy in acute/subacute ischemic stroke patients with Dysphagia

Kyeong Woo Lee  1 , Sang Beom Kim  1 , Jong Hwa Lee  1 , Sook Joung Lee  1 , Jae Won Ri  1 , Jin Gee Park  1
Affiliations

The effect of early neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy in acute/subacute ischemic stroke patients with Dysphagia

Kyeong Woo Lee et al. Ann Rehabil Med. 2014 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the outcome of an early application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) combined with traditional dysphagia therapy (TDT) versus traditional dysphagia therapy only in acute/subacute ischemic stroke patients with moderate to severe dysphagia by videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS).

Methods: Fifty-seven dysphagic stroke patients were enrolled in a VFSS within 10 days after stroke onset. Patients were randomly assigned into two treatment groups. Thirty-one patients received NMES combined with TDT (NMES/TDT group) and 26 patients received TDT only (TDT group). Electrical stimulation with a maximal tolerable intensity was applied on both suprahyoid muscles for 30 minutes, 5 days per week during 3 weeks. The swallowing function was evaluated at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 weeks after baseline. Outcomes of the VFSS were assessed using the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS).

Results: The mean ages were 63.5±11.4 years in the NMES/TDT group and 66.7±9.5 years in the TDT group. Both groups showed a significant improvement on the FOIS after treatment. The FOIS score was significantly more improved at 3 and 6 weeks after baseline in the NMES/TDT group than in the TDT group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: An early application of NMES combined with TDT showed a positive effect in acute/subacute ischemic stroke patients with dysphagia. These results indicated that the early application of NMES could be used as a supplementary treatment of TDT to help rehabilitate acute/subacute dysphagic stroke patients by improving their swallowing coordination.

Keywords: Acute stroke; Dysphagia; Neuromuscular electrical stimulation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart of patient group assignment and treatment. NMES, neuromuscular electrical stimulation; TDT, traditional dysphagia therapy.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The change of FOIS in both groups. FOIS significantly increased in NMES/TDT group compare with TDT group at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. FOIS, Functional Oral Intake Scale; NMES/TDT group: patients treated by neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with traditional dysphagia therapy; TDT group, patients treated by traditional dysphagia therapy only. *p<0.05 (independent sample t-test).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Daniels SK, Brailey K, Priestly DH, Herrington LR, Weisberg LA, Foundas AL. Aspiration in patients with acute stroke. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1998;79:14–19. - PubMed
    1. Roth EJ, Lovell L, Harvey RL, Heinemann AW, Semik P, Diaz S. Incidence of and risk factors for medical complications during stroke rehabilitation. Stroke. 2001;32:523–529. - PubMed
    1. Horner J, Massey EW. Silent aspiration following stroke. Neurology. 1988;38:317–319. - PubMed
    1. Teasell RW, Bach D, McRae M. Prevalence and recovery of aspiration poststroke: a retrospective analysis. Dysphagia. 1994;9:35–39. - PubMed
    1. Dziewas R, Ritter M, Schilling M, Konrad C, Oelenberg S, Nabavi DG, et al. Pneumonia in acute stroke patients fed by nasogastric tube. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2004;75:852–856. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources