The Effects of Lingual Exercise in Stroke Patients With Dysphagia
Presented in part to the Dysphagia Research Society, March 24, 2006, Scottsdale, AZ.
Abstract
Robbins JA, Kays SA, Gangnon RE, Hind JA, Hewitt AL, Gentry LR, Taylor AJ. The effects of lingual exercise in stroke patients with dysphagia.
Objective
To examine the effects of lingual exercise on swallowing recovery poststroke.
Design
Prospective cohort intervention study, with 4- and 8-week follow-ups.
Setting
Dysphagia clinic, tertiary care center.
Participants
Ten stroke patients (n=6, acute: ≤3mo poststroke; n=4, chronic: >3mo poststroke), age 51 to 90 years (mean, 69.7y).
Intervention
Subjects performed an 8-week isometric lingual exercise program by compressing an air-filled bulb between the tongue and the hard palate.
Main Outcome Measures
Isometric and swallowing lingual pressures, bolus flow parameters, diet, and a dysphagia-specific quality of life questionnaire were collected at baseline, week 4, and week 8. Three of the 10 subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging at each time interval to measure lingual volume.
Results
All subjects significantly increased isometric and swallowing pressures. Airway invasion was reduced for liquids. Two subjects increased lingual volume.
Conclusions
The findings indicate that lingual exercise enables acute and chronic dysphagic stroke patients to increase lingual strength with associated improvements in swallowing pressures, airway protection, and lingual volume.
aWilliam S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Madison, WI
bDepartment of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
cDepartment of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
dDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
eDepartment of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
Reprint requests to JoAnne Robbins, PhD, Wm. S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (11G), 2500 Overlook Ter GRECC 11G, Madison, WI 53705
Supported by the Office of Research and Development, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Department of Veteran Affairs (grant no. E2641R). Equipment provided by Blaise Medical Inc (Hendersonville, TN), ConvaTec (Princeton, NJ), KayPentax (Lincoln Park, NJ), E-Z-EM Inc (Lake Success, NY), and GE Medical Systems (Milwaukee, WI).
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.
ABSTRACT