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DysphagiaPhase 2/3ANSRSNCT01279824

Adjunctive Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for the Rehabilitation of Swallowing

A Phase 2/3 study testing swallowing therapy in people with Dysphagia, run by University of Florida at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Neuromuscular Electrical stimulation (NMES) for swallowing has recently been proposed for the treatment of dysphagia post stroke and is clinically receiving favor as a treatment modality, in the absence of strong research support. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 21 to 90 years
Conditions the study is for
Dysphagia
What is being tested?
swallowing therapy
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
53 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Apr 2008to Apr 2011
Phase
Phase 2/3
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 21 to 90 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Stroke identified by neurological and radiological examination
  • Oropharyngeal dysphagia as confirmed by clinical and radiological examination
  • No prior history of oropharyngeal dysphagia by patient and/or caregiver report
  • No previous head/neck surgery or trauma that may impact swallowing ability
  • No other/concomitant neurological disorders (e.g. Parkinson's disease) that would impact oropharyngeal swallowing ability. This does not include post-stroke deficits.
  • Physician and patient/family agreement to participate.

Who cannot join

  • Exposed to previous behavioral or NMES swallowing therapy within 6 months of admission
  • Presence of progressive neurological disorder, such as ALS; Parkinson's or other neurologic disorders within the last 6 months;
  • History of neurosurgery (either ablative or stimulatory), encephalitis or significant head trauma.
  • History of a significant medical condition such as heart, liver, or renal disease; history or evidence of malignancy within the past 5 years other than excised basal cell carcinoma.
  • Because of FDA Warnings, patients with cardiac demand pace makers will be excluded.
  • Patients with evidence of significant cognitive impairment or dementia as reflected in a Mini-Mental test less than 23 and/or a score of 50% or less on the comprehension quotient on the Western Aphasia Battery.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation

    Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37403

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: A Randomized Controlled Trial of NMES vs. Traditional Dysphagia Therapy After Stroke

Neuromuscular Electrical stimulation (NMES) for swallowing has recently been proposed for the treatment of dysphagia post stroke and is clinically receiving favor as a treatment modality, in the absence of strong research support. This study aims to investigate the effect of NMES therapy for dysphagia upon recovery of swallowing function following stroke. The study will follow a pilot randomized controlled trial design. Fifty one patients admitted to a sub-acute rehabilitation facility will be clinically screened for dysphagia, and randomized into one of three groups, NMES, sham NMES or usual care -behavioral swallowing therapy arm. All patients will be treated for one hour per day for 3 weeks, and their progress and outcome will be monitored. The results will add to the preliminary data on the effectiveness of this form of swallowing treatment for patients following stroke, and has the potential to enable more efficient allocation of resources to post-acute rehabilitation and thus benefit afforded to stroke patients, and the community.

Read the detailed description

This pilot randomized controlled trial (N=51) includes stroke patients admitted to a sub-acute rehabilitation facility. Subjects will be clinically screened for dysphagia, and randomized into three groups, NMES, sham NMES or usual care -behavioral swallowing therapy arm. Following randomization, all subjects will undergo a video-x-ray (modified barium swallow) of swallowing to confirm the presence of oropharyngeal dysphagia and provide objective data about the nature and degree of dysphagia. All patients will be treated for one hour per day for 3 weeks, and their progress and outcome will be recorded. Participants will be independently evaluated by a blinded assessor at baseline, post treatment and at 3 months following treatment. The primary outcome will be improvement in clinical swallowing ability, oral intake level, and body weight. The results will add to the preliminary data on the effectiveness of this form of swallowing treatment for patients following stroke.

Conditions
Dysphagia
Being tested
swallowing therapy
Keywords
swallowing, treatment, stroke,rehabilitation
Medical subject headings
Deglutition Disorders, Stroke

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • swallowing therapyBehavioural

    Standardized behavioral swallowing intervention

Study groups in NCT01279824
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Usual CareActive comparatorPatients will receive behavioral swallowing therapy comprising combination's of treatment strategies / exercises chosen from an approved hierarchy. This formulation of treatment will be designed and applied by the treating clinician.The treatment will be provided daily for a one-hour over a consecutive 3-week period.
Receives: Behavioral: swallowing therapy
sham NMESPlacebo comparatorPatients will receive behavioral swallowing therapy comprising combinations of treatment strategies / exercises chosen from an approved hierarchy with the addition of non stimulating electrodes. A faux NMES device will be utilized with an active current display and non stimulating electrodes. The treatment will be provided daily for a one-hour over a consecutive 3-week period.
Receives: Behavioral: swallowing therapy
NMES therapyExperimentalPatients will receive a protocol of standardized behavioral swallowing intervention combined with NMES. This formulation of treatment will be prescribed from a standard protocol and will be applied daily for one-hour over a consecutive 3-week period.
Receives: Behavioral: swallowing therapy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Clinical response

    Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (M.A.S.A)and Functional Oral Intake Scale (F.O.I.S) change, without significant weight loss or dysphagia-related complication

    Measured: 3 weeks post treatment

  2. Full clinical response

    Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (M.A.S.A)and Functional Oral Intake Scale (F.O.I.S) change, without significant weight loss or dysphagia-related complication.

    Measured: 3 months post treatment

Secondary outcomes (6)
  1. Recovery of pre-stroke diet

    comparison of diet intake

    Measured: Baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and 3 months post

  2. Dysphagia-related medical complications

    Occurance of chest infection, dehydration or significant weight loss

    Measured: Baseline,3 weeks ( post treatment) and 3 months post

  3. Biomechanic evaluation of swallowing function

    Modified barium swallow measurement will be used to document changes in swallowing biomechanics associated with change in swallowing following treatment.

    Measured: Baseline and 3 weeks (post treatment)

  4. Functional stroke recovery

    Modified Rankin Scale and the Modified Barthel Index will be used to measure functional stroke recovery.

    Measured: Baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and at 3-months post treatment

  5. Neurological status/Stroke severity

    National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale will be used to measure neurological status change.

    Measured: baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and at the 3-month post treatment

  6. Patient perception of swallowing ability

    Using a visual analogue scale patients will indicate ability to swallow.

    Measured: baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and at 3-months post treatment

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted19 Jan 2011 (estimated)
  2. Study startApr 2008
  3. Primary completionJan 2011
  4. Study completionApr 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2/3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Factorial
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
53 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01279824
Sponsor's protocol ID
R21HD054752
Other IDs
R21HD054752
Acronym
ANSRS
Status last verified
Jan 2011
First submitted
7 Jan 2011
Last updated
5 Jan 2012
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Carnaby-Mann GD, Crary MA. Adjunctive neuromuscular electrical stimulation for treatment-refractory dysphagia. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2008 Apr;117(4):279-87. doi: 10.1177/000348940811700407.

    PubMed 18478837
  • Carnaby-Mann GD, Crary MA. Examining the evidence on neuromuscular electrical stimulation for swallowing: a meta-analysis. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2007 Jun;133(6):564-71. doi: 10.1001/archotol.133.6.564.

    PubMed 17576907
  • Carnaby-Mann GD, Crary MA. McNeill dysphagia therapy program: a case-control study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2010 May;91(5):743-9. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2010.01.013.

    PubMed 20434612

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2/3 study testing swallowing therapy in people with Dysphagia, run by University of Florida at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Jan 2012. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this combined phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Clinical response (time frame: 3 weeks post treatment). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01279824, which also lists 3 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Jan 2012.

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