Speech and language therapy for dysarthria due to nonprogressive brain damage: a systematic Cochrane review.
BACKGROUND
Dysarthria is a common sequel of nonprogressive brain damage (typically stroke and traumatic brain damage). Impairment-based therapy and a wide variety of compensatory management strategies are undertaken by speech and language therapists with this patient population.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of speech and language therapy interventions for adults with dysarthria following nonprogressive brain damage.


METHODS
Systematic review.


METHODS
This review has drawn on the search strategies developed for the following Cochrane Groups as a whole: Stroke, Injuries, and Infectious Diseases. Relevant trials were identified in the Specialised Registers of Controlled Trials. We also searched the trials register of the Cochrane Rehabilitation and Related Therapies Field. The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycLIT, and Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts were electronically searched. Hand-searching of the International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders and of reference lists from relevant articles and conference proceedings was also undertaken. Colleagues were approached to identify other possible published and unpublished studies.


METHODS
Unconfounded randomized controlled trials.


METHODS
One reviewer assessed trial quality. Two co-reviewers were available to examine any potential trials for possible inclusion in the review.


RESULTS
No trials of the required standard were identified.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no evidence of the quality required by this review to support or refute the effectiveness of speech and language therapy interventions for dysarthria following nonprogressive brain damage. There is an urgent need for good quality research in this area.
Sellars
Cameron
C
STEP Project and Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, UK. Cameron.Sellars@northglasgow.scot.nhs.uk
Hughes
Thomas
T
Langhorne
Peter
P
D000328:Adult; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D004401:Dysarthria / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007808:Language Therapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013070:Speech Therapy