title: Does sensory transcutaneous electrical stimulation prevent pneumonia in the acute stage of stroke? A preliminary study.
abstract: Acute stroke patients with dysphagia are at risk of developing pulmonary infection, which increases the risk of death. Therefore, optimal management of dysphagia is essential; however, available evidence supporting the effectiveness of dysphagia treatments is limited. Surface electrical stimulation (e-stim) has been developed as a new treatment modality for dysphagia. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of surface sensory e-stim therapy in preventing pulmonary infection in 53 acute stroke patients with dysphagia. The risk of pulmonary infection was significantly decreased in the general dysphagia/surface e-stim combination therapy group. We considered that surface e-stim therapy can impact dysphagia treatment in acute stroke patients, particularly in preventing pulmonary infection. Future large and randomized studies are needed to evaluate the effects of surface sensory e-stim therapy on acute stroke patients.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Hikone Municipal Hospital, Hikone bDepartment of Rehabilitation, Aizawa Hospital, Matsumoto cDepartment of Rehabilitation, Showa Inan General Hospital, Komagane dDepartment of Rehabilitation, Kikyougahara Hospital, Shiojiri, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hara
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation