Effect Of Vitalstim In Patients With Chronic Post-stroke Oropharyngeal Dysphagia (VITAL)
Deglutition Disorders, Stroke
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Deglutition Disorders focused on measuring dysphagia, VitalStim, electrical stimulation
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Subject is over 18 years of age.
- Subject is suspected of having oropharyngeal dysphagia.
- Subject is able to comply with videofluoroscopy protocol.
- Subject diagnosed with stroke.
- Subject has no previous history of dysphagia.
- Subjects who are able to give voluntary, written informed consent to participate in the clinical investigation and from whom consent has been obtained/ or a consultee has consented on the subjects behalf in line with nationally agreed guidelines concerning adults unable to consent for themselves.
- Subject is not currently participating in any other interventional clinical study.
- Subject is able to comply with the protocol requirements
- Subject scores 0 or 1 on question 1a of NIHSS
Randomization Inclusion Criteria:
• Subject has confirmed dysphagia (PAS of 2 or more on VFS screening or pharyngeal residue).
Exclusion Criteria:
- Subject stroke event occurred less than 3 months ago.
- Subject is pregnant or a nursing mother.
- Subject, in the opinion of the investigator, has advanced dementia
- Subject fitted with a pacemaker or implantable cardiac defibrillator
- Subject is dysphagic from conditions other than stroke
- Subject has been diagnosed with a progressive neurological disorder, such as Parkinson's disease or Multiple Sclerosis.
- Subject with active neoplasm or infection process.
Sites / Locations
- Hospital de Mataró
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Active Comparator
Experimental
Experimental
Control group
Sensory Group
Motor Group
Will not receive any treatment procedure. Patients allocated in the control group will be treated according to the standard clinical care of patients with dysphagia at our center, that includes: adaptation of fluids, diet and oral hygiene recommendations, and postural and swallowing maneuvers training if necessary.
Patients allocated in the sensory group will be treated with transcutaneous electrical stimulation at sensory level. In addition, they will receive the standard clinical care described in the control group. The treatment procedure will consist of the application, at rest, of 80 Hz of transcutaneous electrical stimulus (biphasic, 700 µs) using VitalStim device (Chattanooga Group, Hixson, TN, USA), 2 sessions of 1 hour per day the first week, and 1 hour per day the next week. Sessions will be applied for two weeks. Treatment intensity will be set to 75% of motor threshold and electrode placement, thyro-hyoid (placement 3a described in the VitalStim Certification Program). The motor threshold will be determined by triplicate, as the intensity level at which the patient reports a grabbing or pulling sensation and confirmed by the clinician. Every 10 min, the patient will be asked if the initial sensation is maintained and, if necessary, treatment intensity will be re-adjusted.
Patients allocated in the motor group will be treated with transcutaneous electrical stimulation at motor level. In addition, they will receive the standard clinical care of patients with dysphagia described in the control group. The treatment procedure will consist of the application, at rest, of 80 Hz of transcutaneous electrical stimulus (biphasic, 700 µs) using VitalStim device (Chattanooga Group, Hixson, TN, USA), 2 sessions of 1 hour per day the first week, and 1 hour per day the next week. Sessions will be applied from Monday to Friday for two weeks. Treatment intensity will be set to the motor threshold and electrode placement, supra-hyoid. The motor threshold will be determined by triplicate, as the intensity level at which the patient reports a grabbing or pulling sensation and confirmed by the clinician. Every 10 min, the patient will be asked if the initial sensation is maintained and, if necessary, treatment intensity will be re-adjusted.