Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) is a major complaint among many patients with stroke and causes severe complications. There is no specific treatment for these patients. Impaired swallow response is caused by a delay in the timing of oropharyngeal reconfiguration with delayed airway protection. Swallow response is initiated by sensory afferent fibers in the oropharynx and cerebral cortex reaching the central swallowing pattern generator (CPG) in the medulla oblongata and brainstem motor nuclei. Hypothesis: Stimulation of pharyngeal sensory afferent fibers through TRPV1 receptors and electrical stimuli might enhance the stimulation of the CPG and speed the swallow response. Long-term treatment of OD will improve clinical outcome of stroke patients. Aim: To assess the effect of TRPV1 agonists (capsaicin) and that of sensorial pharyngeal electrical stimulation (intrapharyngeal and transcutaneous) on VFS signs and swallow response at 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment in stroke patients with established OD. To compare the clinical effect of classical rehabilitation strategies with that of these new afferent sensorial neurostimulation strategies in terms of nutritional status parameters, incidence of aspiration pneumonia and/or low respiratory tract infection, quality of life, and mortality. Methods: Clinical screening of OD with the volume-viscosity swallow test and assessment by VFS and quantitative measurements of swallow response. Randomized controlled trial assessing the effect of standard rehabilitation with that of afferent sensorial neurostimulation strategies.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
100
Patients will receive the administration of a TRPV1 agonist (natural capsaicin) supplement before each meal, 3 meals/day, 5 days/week for 2 consecutive weeks. The TRPV1 agonist will be provided by the pharmacy of the center.
Includes neuron stimulation treatment of 1 session / day of pharyngeal electrical stimulation of 10 min duration, 3 days/week during 1 week, done at the same center.
Trans-cutaneous electrical stimuli will be applied 5 seconds every minute during 1 hour daily session, 5 days/week during 2 consecutive weeks at the same centre.
Hospital de Mataró
Mataró, Barcelona, Spain
To assess the efficacy and safety of new neuron-stimulation treatments for OD in patients with stroke and to explore their mechanism of action.
The efficacy of each treatment will be assessed by VFS in each patient after the treatment and at the end of the follow-up period, considering Rosenbek scale and measures of oropharyngeal swallow response including oropharyngeal reconfiguration, timing and extent of hyoid motion and bolus propulsion force of the tongue. Clinical outcome also evaluated are episodes of aspiration pneumonia and low respiratory tract infections, nutritional status, complications and clinical symptoms experimented during one year of follow-up and mortality rates and cause of death. Participating clinicians will be instructed to register and describe all serious adverse events (SAE) occurred during the study and report them on a specific form within 24 hours. The guidelines for SAE reporting to the Ethical Committee and competent authorities will be followed.
Time frame: 12 months
To determine the prevalence of OD and its complications in stroke patients over one year.
Time frame: 12 months
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