Effect Of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation On The Swallowing Function And The Velocity Of Hyolaryngeal Excursion In Post-stroke Dysphagia

Objective:To observe the effect of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation(NMES)time on the swallowing function and the velocity of hyolaryngeal excursion in post-stroke dysphagia.Methods:Thirty patients with post-stroke dysphagia were randomly divided into 3groups(n=10):control group,NMES group and intensive NMES group.Patients in the 3groups all received conventional swallowing training.Patients in the NMES group also received NMES once a day and those in the intensive NMES group received it twice a day.Before treatment and after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment,the Videofluoroscopy Swallowing Study(VFSS)was carried out and the superior and anterior excursion distances and excursion duration of the hyoid and larynx when swallowing pap were measured,then calculated the corresponding velocity.Moreover,water drinking test,dysphagia severity scale,Penetration-Aspiration Scale(PAS)were used to assess the swallowing function before and after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment.Results:After treatment,the water drinking test score,dysphagia severity scale,PAS score of all three groups had improved significantly than before treatment.The water drinking test score of the intensive NMES group and the NMES group were significantly better than the control group after 2 weeks of treatment.After 2 and 4 weeks,dysphagia severity scale of the intensive NMES group were significantly improved than the control group;PAS score of the intensive NMES group were significantly improved than the NMES group and the control group;Anterior hyoid excursion velocity of the intensive NMES group were significantly faster than the NMES group and the control group.PAS score and anterior hyoid excursion velocity revealed a moderately correlated by the Pearson correlation analysis.Conclusion : Intensive NMES(two NMES sessions a day)could significantly improve the effectiveness than one NMES session a day the patients with dysphagia after stroke.The increases movement speed of velocity of hyolaryngeal structural excursion can significantly improve the therapeutic effect of dysphagia.