NCT01907321

Brief Summary

Stroke is the leading case of neurologic swallow dysfunction, or dysphagia. Post stroke dysphagia is associated with approximately 50% increase in the rate of pneumonia diagnoses; aspiration pneumonia is the most common respiratory complication in all stroke deaths, accounting for a three-fold increase in the 30-day post stroke death rate. The long-term goal of this systematic line of research is to decrease the morbidity, mortality, and health care costs associated with disordered airway protection following stroke. The overall hypothesis central to this proposal is that the ability to protect the airway is dependent upon a continuum of multiple behaviors, including swallowing and cough. Safe, efficient swallowing prevents material from entering the larynx and lower airway, and effective cough ejects aspirate or mucus material. Currently, only one end of the continuum, swallowing, is rigorously assessed in stroke patients. However, ineffective or disordered cough is indicative of the inability to eject aspirate material or clear mucus and secretions from the lower airway. Ineffective clearance and subsequent accumulation of material in the lower airway increases the risk of chest infection. Hence, patients at the greatest risk for chest infection would not only have disordered swallowing (dysphagia) but also disordered cough (dystussia), meaning they are more likely to aspirate material and then cannot effectively eject the aspirate from the airway. There is a high likelihood that swallowing and cough are simultaneously disordered following stroke. To date, there is a treatment that targets both swallowing and cough function in stroke patients. Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) increases expiratory muscle strength (Baker et al., 2005) and there is evidence that supports its use to improve both swallow and cough functions in patients with Parkinson's disease (Troche et al., in press). This cross-system, device-driven approach to rehabilitating multiple contributors to airway protection deficits is highly desirable in the stroke population due to the likelihood of the co-occurrence of both swallow and cough disorders. To date, EMST has not been tested in stroke patients. We propose that by including cough in the screening, evaluation and treatment processes for disorders of airway protection, we will be able to better identify and treat patients most at risk for airway compromise and associated sequelae.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
14

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for phase_1

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2011

Longer than P75 for phase_1

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 1, 2011

Completed
2.5 years until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

July 11, 2013

Completed
13 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 24, 2013

Completed
1.7 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

April 1, 2015

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

April 1, 2015

Completed
1.8 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

January 27, 2017

Completed
Last Updated

January 27, 2017

Status Verified

October 1, 2016

Enrollment Period

4.2 years

First QC Date

July 11, 2013

Results QC Date

April 18, 2016

Last Update Submit

December 5, 2016

Conditions

Keywords

strokedysphagiadystussiacoughmaximum expiratory pressure

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Maximum Expiratory Pressure

    This measure will indicate if there are strength gains in the respiratory muscle by measuring expiratory pressure generating ability.

    Change in baseline to week 7

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Cough Expiratory Airflow

    Change in baseline to 7 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will complete 5 weeks of EMST training, 5 repetitions per set, 5 sets per day, 5 days per week.

Behavioral: Expiratory muscle strength trainingDrug: Measures performed on all subjectsBehavioral: Pulmonary function testRadiation: Fluoroscopic swallow study

Placebo expiratory training

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Same look and feel of EMST with no resistance. Same protocol - 5 repetitions of 5 sets, 5 days per week

Behavioral: Placebo expiratory trainingDrug: Measures performed on all subjectsBehavioral: Pulmonary function testRadiation: Fluoroscopic swallow study

Interventions

Small hand held device that provides calibrated (cmH20) resistance to expiratory pressure. Once sufficient pressure is achieved (participant blowing out into the device) a valve is released, letting air flow through.

Also known as: EMST
Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST)

Device with the same look and feel as the active EMST, but which provides no resistance to airflow.

Placebo expiratory training

Capsaicin is a cough-inducing vapor that will be inhaled by participants to induce coughing. The airflow of the cough will be recorded and measures of compression phase duration, peak expiratory flow rate, and post-peak plateau phase will be made.

Also known as: Capsaicin
Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST)Placebo expiratory training

Measures of forced vital capacity (FVC) and Forced expiratory volume in the 1st second (FEV1), and the ratio between the two measures (FEV1/FVC). Also included is the measure of maximum expiratory pressure. Airflow from the voluntary cough will also be recorded and measured using the spirometric system. These measures will be identical to those made on the capsaicin-induced cough.

Also known as: Spirometry
Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST)Placebo expiratory training

Images from the swallow study will be used to determine the modified barium swallow impairment profile (MBSImp) score, as well as the penetration-aspiration score (PA).

Also known as: Modified barium swallow study
Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST)Placebo expiratory training

Eligibility Criteria

Age50 Years - 85 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Acute (0-14 days) and subacute (14 days - 6 months) ischemic stroke
  • Neurologic status permits participation.
  • Medical status permits participation.

You may not qualify if:

  • Dysphagia secondary to something other than stroke.
  • Refuses consent.
  • Incapable of informed consent and has no representative.
  • Multiple strokes and previous history of dysphagia secondary to stroke.
  • Longer than 6 months post-stroke
  • Known cardiac valve thrombosis
  • Stroke etiology of dissection
  • Unstable / evolving stroke lesion.
  • History of cancer in the head or neck
  • History of radiation to the head or neck
  • History of degenerative disease

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida, 32611, United States

Location

Brooks Rehabilitation Clinical Research Center

Jacksonville, Florida, 32216, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Hegland KW, Davenport PW, Brandimore AE, Singletary FF, Troche MS. Rehabilitation of Swallowing and Cough Functions Following Stroke: An Expiratory Muscle Strength Training Trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Aug;97(8):1345-51. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2016.03.027. Epub 2016 Apr 26.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Ischemic StrokeStrokeDeglutition DisordersCough

Interventions

CapsaicinRespiratory Physiological Phenomena

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cerebrovascular DisordersBrain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesNervous System DiseasesVascular DiseasesCardiovascular DiseasesEsophageal DiseasesGastrointestinal DiseasesDigestive System DiseasesPharyngeal DiseasesOtorhinolaryngologic DiseasesRespiration DisordersRespiratory Tract DiseasesSigns and Symptoms, RespiratorySigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Polyunsaturated AlkamidesAmidesOrganic ChemicalsAlkenesHydrocarbons, AcyclicHydrocarbonsCatecholsPhenolsBenzene DerivativesHydrocarbons, AromaticHydrocarbons, CyclicSolanaceous AlkaloidsAlkaloidsHeterocyclic CompoundsFatty Acids, MonounsaturatedFatty Acids, UnsaturatedFatty AcidsLipidsCirculatory and Respiratory Physiological Phenomena

Results Point of Contact

Title
Dr. Karen Hegland, PI
Organization
University of Florida

Study Officials

  • Karen W Hegland, PHD

    University of Florida

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
Yes

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 1
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

July 11, 2013

First Posted

July 24, 2013

Study Start

January 1, 2011

Primary Completion

April 1, 2015

Study Completion

April 1, 2015

Last Updated

January 27, 2017

Results First Posted

January 27, 2017

Record last verified: 2016-10

Locations