title: Treatment for dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) in hereditary ataxia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hereditary ataxias are a heterogeneous group of disorders resulting in progressive inco-ordination. Swallowing impairment, also known as dysphagia, is a common and potentially life threatening sequel of disease progression. The incidence and nature of dysphagia in these conditions is largely unknown. The loss of an effective and safe swallow can dramatically affect the health and well-being of an individual. Remediation of difficulties of eating and drinking is an important goal in the clinical care of people with hereditary ataxia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of interventions for swallowing impairment (dysphagia) in people with hereditary ataxias.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group Specialized Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, and the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) on 14 September 2015. We also searched Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA), Dissertation Abstracts, and Trials Registries on 24 September 2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  We considered all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs that compared treatments for hereditary ataxia with placebo or no treatment. We only included studies measuring dysphagia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three review authors (ES, KJ, MK) independently screened all titles and abstracts. In the event of any disagreement or uncertainty over the inclusion of a particular paper, the review authors planned to meet and reach consensus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified no RCTs from the 519 titles and abstracts screened. We excluded papers primarily for not including participants with a hereditary ataxia (that is, being focused on other neurological conditions), being theoretical reviews rather than intervention studies, or being neither randomised nor quasi-randomised trials.We identified five papers of various design that described treatment for dysphagia, or improvement to swallow as a by-product of treatment, in people with hereditary ataxia. None of these studies were RCTs or quasi-RCTs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an absence of any significant evidence supporting the use of any dysphagia intervention in hereditary ataxia. The lack of evidence highlights the critical need for well-controlled treatment trials in the field.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neuroscience of Speech, The University of Melbourne, 550 Swanston Street, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3010.
authors.forename: Adam P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: Megan J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Keage
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Ellika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schalling
mesh_terms: D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D013132:Spinocerebellar Degenerations / Q000150:complications*