Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32445060›Full record

ArticleDysphagia2021

Surface Electromyographic Biofeedback and the Effortful Swallow Exercise for Stroke-Related Dysphagia and in Healthy Ageing.

Sally K Archer, Christina H Smith, Di J Newham

Open access · hybridAbstract readClinical Trial, Phase I
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Dysphagia, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
41citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
10.7field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

41 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 74 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Screening for aspiration risk associated with dysphagia in acute stroke.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021
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  20. Early Feasibility and Efficacy of a Novel Skill-Based Training Program for Poststroke Dysphagia.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translation · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Sally K ArcherCentre of Human and Aerospace Physiological Sciences, King's College London, London, UK. sally.archer@gstt.nhs.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-5165-8086
Christina H SmithDivision of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
Di J NewhamCentre of Human and Aerospace Physiological Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
King's College London · GBUniversity College London · GB

Funding

Department of Health
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Dysphagia is common after stroke, leading to adverse outcome. The Effortful Swallow (ES) is recommended to improve swallowing but it is not known if dysphagic patients can increase muscle activity during the exercise or if age affects performance. Providing surface electromyographic (sEMG) biofeedback during dysphagia therapy may enhance exercise completion, but this has not been investigated and the technique's acceptability to patients is not known. Aims: To determine if age or post-stroke dysphagia affect the ability to increase submental muscle activity during the ES, if sEMG biofeedback improves ES performance and if sEMG is an acceptable addition to therapy. In a Phase I study submental sEMG amplitudes were measured from 15 people with dysphagia < 3 months post-stroke and 85 healthy participants aged 18-89 years during swallowing (NS) and when they performed the ES with and without sEMG biofeedback. Participant feedback was collected via questionnaire. Measurements were compared with repeated measures ANOVA and age effects were examined with linear regression. Both groups produced significantly greater muscle activity for the ES than NS (p < 0.001) and significantly increased activity with biofeedback (p < 0.001) with no effect of age. Participant feedback about sEMG was very positive; over 98% would be happy to use it regularly. The ES is a physiologically beneficial dysphagia exercise, increasing muscle activity during swallowing. sEMG biofeedback further enhances performance and is considered an acceptable technique by patients. These findings support the potential application of sEMG biofeedback and the ES in dysphagia therapy in stroke, justifying further investigation of patient outcome.

Indexed as

Deglutition DisordersHealthy AgingBiofeedback, PsychologyDeglutitionElectromyographyHumansBiofeedbackDeglutitionDeglutition disordersDysphagiaEffortful swallowSpeech and language therapyStrokeSurface electromyography

Identifiers

PMID32445060
PMCPMC8004490
OpenAlexW3028496589

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.