Effect of Sour Taste on Swallowing Function of Patients With Dysphagia After Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial

February 3, 2026 updated by: AYFER GUNES

İnme Sonrası Yutma Bozukluğu Gelişen Hastalara Erken Dönemde Verilen Ekşi Sıvının Yutma Fonksiyonu Üzerine Etkisinin Değerlendirilmesi

This randomized controlled study was designed to determine the Effect of Sour Taste on Swallowing Function of Patients with Dysphagia After Acute Ischemic Stroke The study was conducted between july 2021 and november 2022 with 95 patients diagnosed with Acute Ischemic Stroke (47 intervention, 48 control) at the neurology clinic and outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Edirne. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Gugging Swallowing Screening Test (GUSS), and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS).

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of sour taste on swallowing function of patients who developed dysphagia after ischemic stroke.The study sample consisted of patients (n=95) diagnosed with ischemic stroke and had impaired swallowing function hospitalized in a neurology clinic of a university hospital. Patients in the intervention group were given 4 ml of lemon juice (pH=2.8) at room temperature before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while patients in the control group were given 4 ml of water at room temperature at the same time periods. Patients' swallowing function and stroke severity were assessed on the 7th and 30th days. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Gugging Swallowing Screening Test (GUSS), and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS).

Financial Support:The present study was supported by the Research Fund of Trakya University. Project No:2021/214

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

95

Phase

  • Not Applicable

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

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Center
      • Edirne, Center, Turkey (Türkiye), 22030
        • Trakya University Medical Research and Application Centre

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Hospitalized with a confirmed diagnosis of ischemic stroke
  • Within the first 72 hours after diagnosis
  • Developed dysphagia
  • Who could understand and cooperate
  • Patients who volunteer signed an informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with cerebral hemorrhage or other neurologic disorders
  • Patients with severe stroke and high NIHSS scores
  • Who were likely to experience severe dysphagia
  • Patients who do not volunteer to participate in the study

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: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Other: control
The participants were informed about the research process during the first meeting. Control group patients were administered 4 ml of room temperature water during the initial consultation, under the supervision of a physician, before breakfast, lunch, and dinner. According to the GUSS screening test, patients with severe dysphagia were given 4 ml of water drop by drop with a syringe, in a manner tolerable to the patient, together with the physician, over approximately 15-20 minutes. Stroke patients with severe dysphagia, unable to swallow, had the 4 ml of water administered drop by drop but it flowed out of their mouths as saliva. This procedure was continued for seven days .Patients with dysphagia who had acute ischemic stroke in the control group was evaluated at the first day visit, on the day 7, and day 30. The initial visit and day 7 evaluations were conducted in a clinical setting because the patients were receiving treatment at the neurology clinic.
Other: Control
Room-Temperature Water Administration
Experimental: Sour Taste
The participants were informed about the research process during the first meeting. Intervention group patients were administered 4 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice with a hydrogen power (pH) of 2.8 at room temperature under medical supervision before breakfast, lunch, and dinner. According to the GUSS screening test, patients with severe dysphagia were given 4 ml of lemon juice drop by drop with a syringe, in a manner tolerable to the patient, together with the physician, over approximately 15-20 minutes. Patients with severe dysphagia, due to their inability to swallow, had the 4 ml of lemon juice administered drop by drop, but it flowed out of their mouths as saliva. This application continued for seven days.Patients with dysphagia who had acute ischemic stroke in the control group was evaluated at the first day visit, on the day 7, and day 30. The initial visit and day 7 evaluations were conducted in a clinical setting because the patients were receiving treatment at the neurolo
Other: sour taste
Sour taste stimulation using freshly squeezed lemon juice administered orally.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
GUSS Swallowing scores and NIHSS Scores
Time Frame: one month
Change in the mean scores of the GUSS swallowing scores and NIHSS Scores of the patients at the first interview, on the 7th day and on the 30th day.
one month

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

AYFER GUNES

Collaborators

Trakya University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ayfer Gunes, PhD, RN., Trakya University Medical Research and Application Centre, Department of Neurology

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 (Actual)

July 15, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 20, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

December 15, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 3, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 3, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

February 10, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 10, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 3, 2026

Last Verified

February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2021/214

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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