Trial reportDysphagia2023
Increasing Adherence to Prophylactic Swallowing Exercises During Head and Neck Radiotherapy: The Multicenter, Randomized Controlled PRESTO-Trial.
Trial report in Dysphagia, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluating Effectiveness of mHealth Interventions for Rehabilitation in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2026Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Home-Based Telerehabilitation Interventions for Dysphagia in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Pooled it
- Trial
- Trial
- Article
- Impacts of a Group-Based Intervention To Mitigate Concurrent Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy-Induced Dysphagia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.Dysphagia · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of Gamified Swallowing Exercises in Adults With Dysphagia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.JMIR serious games · 2026Review
- Effectiveness of gamified swallowing exercise in adults with dysphagia: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic reviews · 2026Article
- Personalized swallowing rehabilitation program for post-surgical dysphagia in oral cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Article
- Precision rehabilitation for swallowing dysfunction after radiotherapy in head and neck cancer: current evidence, key controversies, and future perspectives.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Review
- Effect of Nurse-Led Swallowing Rehabilitation on Swallowing Function, Quality of Life, and Adherence in Patients with Oral Cancer: A Single Center Randomized Controlled Trial.Patient preference and adherence · 2026Article
- Exploratory Research: Patient-Reported Factors Contributing to Decreased Oral Intake During Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer.Head & neck · 2025Article
- Prehabilitation in radiation therapy: a scoping review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Article
- Dysphagia Advances in Head and Neck Cancer.Current otorhinolaryngology reports · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
26 authors at 8 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundProphylactic swallowing exercises (PSE) during radiotherapy can significantly reduce dysphagia after radiotherapy in head and neck cancer (HNC). However, its positive effects are hampered by low adherence rates during the burdensome therapy period. Hence, the main goal of this multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to investigate the effect of 3 different service-delivery modes on actual patients' adherence.
methodsA total of 148 oropharyngeal cancer patients treated with primary (chemo)radiotherapy were randomly assigned to a 4 weeks PSE program, either diary-supported (paper group; n = 49), app-supported (app group; n = 49) or therapist-supported (therapist group; n = 50). Participants practiced 5 days/week, daily alternating tongue strengthening exercises with chin tuck against resistance exercises. Adherence was measured as the percentage of completed exercise repetitions per week (%reps). Statistical analysis was performed by means of SPSSv27, using Linear Mixed-effects Models with post hoc pairwise testing and Bonferroni-Holm correction.
resultsAdherence and evolution of adherence over time was significantly different between the three groups (p < .001). Adherence rates decreased in all three groups during the 4 training weeks (p < .001). During all 4 weeks, the therapist group achieved the highest adherence rates, whilst the app group showed the lowest adherence rates.
conclusionsPSE adherence decreased during the first 4 radiotherapy weeks regardless of group, but with a significant difference between groups. The therapist group achieved the highest adherence rates with a rather limited decline, therefore, increasing the face-to-face contact with a speech-language therapist can overcome the well-known problem of low adherence to PSE in this population.
trial registrationTrial registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN98243550. Registered December 21, 2018 - retrospectively registered, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN98243550?q=gwen%20van%20nuffelen&filters=&sort=&offset=1&totalResults=2&page=1&pageSize=10&searchType=basic-search .
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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.