title: The effect of electrical stimulation therapy on dysphagia following treatment for head and neck cancer.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in patients suffering from dysphagia following treatment for head and neck cancer. In a prospective, double blinded, randomized case control study between January 2006 and December 2007, 14 patients were randomized to 30min of NMES and 30min of traditional swallowing training for 5 days per week for 2 weeks (experimental group), and 12 patients were randomized to sham stimulation plus traditional swallowing training (control group). Effects were assessed using the clinical dysphagia scale (CDS), the functional dysphagia scale (FDS), the American speech-language-hearing association national outcome measurement system (ASHA NOMS) and the M.D. Anderson dysphagia inventory (MADI). Pretreatment evaluation showed no significant differences between the two groups for all parameters. Average changes of FDS score were 11.4+/-8.1 for the experimental group and 3.3+/-14.0 for the control group (P=0.039). CDS, ASHA NOMS and MADI showed some difference with treatment, but the changes were not significant (P>0.05). NMES combined with traditional swallowing training is superior to traditional swallowing training alone in patients suffering from dysphagia following treatment for head and neck cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ju Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Jin Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soon Yuhl
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Seung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jong Lyel
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Sang Yoon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyoung Hyo
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea; D016896:Treatment Outcome