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. 2017 Jul 20:4:25.
doi: 10.1186/s40814-017-0169-0. eCollection 2018.

ReaDySpeech for people with dysarthria after stroke: protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial

Claire Mitchell  1   2 , Audrey Bowen  1 , Sarah Tyson  3 , Paul Conroy  1
Affiliations

ReaDySpeech for people with dysarthria after stroke: protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial

Claire Mitchell et al. Pilot Feasibility Stud. .

Erratum in

  • Erratum to: Pilot and Feasibility Studies, Vol. 4.
    Pilot and Feasibility Studies. Pilot and Feasibility Studies. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2017 Oct 24;3:48. doi: 10.1186/s40814-017-0183-2. eCollection 2017. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2017. PMID: 29123916 Free PMC article.

Abstract

Background: Dysarthria, a disordered speech production resulting from neuro-muscular impairment, is a common symptom after stroke. It causes significant problems for patients' speech intelligibility, communication, psychological well-being, social engagement and stroke recovery. Rehabilitation for dysarthria is variable in quality, intensity and duration, which may be, in part, due to the lack of good quality evidence. An online therapy programme, ReaDySpeech, has the potential to improve quality, intensity and duration of speech rehabilitation and was considered in a proof-of-concept study to be acceptable to speech and language therapists and patients which warranted further evaluation. The present study aims to examine the feasibility of running a trial using the ReaDySpeech intervention.

Methods/design: A feasibility, randomised controlled trial, will recruit a minimum of 36 people with post-stroke dysarthria who are more than 1 week post stroke. Participants will be externally randomised in a 2:1 ratio to receive either ReaDySpeech and usual care (24 participants) or usual care only (12 participants). This study is single blind with the researcher carrying out the baseline and outcome measures while blinded to treatment allocation. The primary objective is to assess the feasibility of conducting a larger Phase III trial. The specific objectives are to determine the following: recruitment rate and reasons for non-recruitment; loss of participants to follow-up; acceptability of randomisation; adherence to the intervention; delivery of ReaDySpeech and content; acceptability of outcome measures; success of blinding strategies; defining 'usual' care; and the implications of the intervention for the patient/family/carer.

Discussion: This study will involve a regional, multi-centre, randomised controlled feasibility trial of a complex intervention in order to evaluate whether a Phase III randomised controlled trial is feasible.

Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials, ISRCTN84996500.

Keywords: Dysarthria; Feasibility; Randomised controlled trial; Speech/language therapy (SLT); Stroke.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Ethics approval for this study was granted by the UK National Research Ethics Service Committee Northwest (15/NW/0371) and local research and development management approval was granted by the four NHS trust sites involved in the study. The trial will be conducted in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed written consent will be obtained from all participants. Any significant protocol amendments will be discussed with the funder, sponsor and REC and updated protocols will be submitted.

This study is sponsored by the University of Manchester, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
ReaDySpeech participant flowchart through trial
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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