title: Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Patients With Dysphagia With Medullary Infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) acting on the sensory input or motor muscle in treating patients with dysphagia with medullary infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective randomized controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with dysphagia with medullary infarction (N=82).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomized over 3 intervention groups: traditional swallowing therapy, sensory approach combined with traditional swallowing therapy, and motor approach combined with traditional swallowing therapy. Electrical stimulation sessions were for 20 minutes, twice a day, for 5d/wk, over a 4-week period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Swallowing function was evaluated by the water swallow test and Standardized Swallowing Assessment, oral intake was evaluated by the Functional Oral Intake Scale, quality of life was evaluated by the Swallowing-Related Quality of Life (SWAL-QOL) Scale, and cognition was evaluated by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in age, sex, duration, MMSE score, or severity of the swallowing disorder (P>.05). All groups showed improved swallowing function (P≤.01); the sensory approach combined with traditional swallowing therapy group showed significantly greater improvement than the other 2 groups, and the motor approach combined with traditional swallowing therapy group showed greater improvement than the traditional swallowing therapy group (P<.05). SWAL-QOL Scale scores increased more significantly in the sensory approach combined with traditional swallowing therapy and motor approach combined with traditional swallowing therapy groups than in the traditional swallowing therapy group, and the sensory approach combined with traditional swallowing therapy and motor approach combined with traditional swallowing therapy groups showed statistically significant differences (P=.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NMES that targets either sensory input or motor muscle coupled with traditional therapy is conducive to recovery from dysphagia and improves quality of life for patients with dysphagia with medullary infarction. A sensory approach appears to be better than a motor approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Qilu Hospital, Medical School of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Bo
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Anatomy and Physiology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Guo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Examination Center, Zaozhuang Mining Group General Hospital, Zaozhuang, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Qilu Hospital, Medical School of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China. Electronic address: shouweiy@126.com.
authors.forename: Shou-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Yue
mesh_terms: D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Brain stem infarctions; Deglutition disorders; Electric stimulation; Quality of life; Rehabilitation