Adjunctive Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for the Rehabilitation of Swallowing (ANSRS)

January 4, 2012 updated by: University of Florida

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.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

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.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
53

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Tennessee
      • Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States, 37403
        • Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

21 years to 90 years (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 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.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • 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.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
  • Allocation: RANDOMIZED
  • Interventional Model: FACTORIAL
  • Masking: TRIPLE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Usual Care
Patients 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.
Behavioral: swallowing therapy
Standardized behavioral swallowing intervention
PLACEBO_COMPARATOR: sham NMES
Patients 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.
Behavioral: swallowing therapy
Standardized behavioral swallowing intervention
EXPERIMENTAL: NMES therapy
Patients 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.
Behavioral: swallowing therapy
Standardized behavioral swallowing intervention

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Clinical response
Time Frame: 3 weeks post treatment
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
3 weeks post treatment
Full clinical response
Time Frame: 3 months post treatment
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.
3 months post treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Recovery of pre-stroke diet
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and 3 months post
comparison of diet intake
Baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and 3 months post
Dysphagia-related medical complications
Time Frame: Baseline,3 weeks ( post treatment) and 3 months post
Occurance of chest infection, dehydration or significant weight loss
Baseline,3 weeks ( post treatment) and 3 months post
Biomechanic evaluation of swallowing function
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 weeks (post treatment)
Modified barium swallow measurement will be used to document changes in swallowing biomechanics associated with change in swallowing following treatment.
Baseline and 3 weeks (post treatment)
Functional stroke recovery
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and at 3-months post treatment
Modified Rankin Scale and the Modified Barthel Index will be used to measure functional stroke recovery.
Baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and at 3-months post treatment
Neurological status/Stroke severity
Time Frame: baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and at the 3-month post treatment
National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale will be used to measure neurological status change.
baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and at the 3-month post treatment
Patient perception of swallowing ability
Time Frame: baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and at 3-months post treatment
Using a visual analogue scale patients will indicate ability to swallow.
baseline, 3 weeks (post treatment) and at 3-months post treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Florida

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 1, 2008

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 1, 2011

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 7, 2011

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 18, 2011

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 19, 2011

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 5, 2012

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 4, 2012

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • R21HD054752 (NIH)

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