[Auricular electroacupuncture for post-stroke dysphagia in pharyngeal phase: a randomized controlled trial]

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Acupuncture Research

Background:

• Post-stroke dysphagia, particularly affecting the pharyngeal phase, presents a significant clinical challenge.
• Impaired swallowing function can lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and aspiration pneumonia, increasing morbidity and mortality.
• Effective therapeutic interventions are crucial for improving swallowing function and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical efficacy of auricular electroacupuncture for treating post-stroke dysphagia in the pharyngeal phase.
• To compare the effectiveness of auricular electroacupuncture with conventional swallowing electrical stimulation.

Main Methods:

• Eighty-two patients with post-stroke dysphagia were randomized into two groups: auricular electroacupuncture (41 patients) and swallowing electrical stimulation (41 patients).
• Auricular electroacupuncture involved stimulation of specific auricular points (Xin [CO15] and Yanhou [TG3]) using a disperse-dense wave (2 Hz/10 Hz) for 30 minutes daily over 4 weeks.
• Outcomes assessed included the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), hyolaryngeal complex displacement, pharyngeal constriction rate (PCR), and pharyngeal delay time (PDT) via videofluoroscopic study of swallowing (VFSS).

Main Results:

• Both treatment groups showed significant improvements in FOIS grade, hyolaryngeal complex displacement, PCR, and PDT compared to pre-treatment values (P<0.01).
• The auricular electroacupuncture group demonstrated superior outcomes compared to the swallowing electrical stimulation group, with higher FOIS grades (P<0.01) and greater hyolaryngeal upward displacement (P<0.05).
• The total effective rate was significantly higher in the auricular electroacupuncture group (85.4%) than in the swallowing electrical stimulation group (62.5%) (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

• Auricular electroacupuncture is an effective treatment for improving pharyngeal phase swallowing function in patients with post-stroke dysphagia.
• This technique effectively triggers pharyngeal initiation, leading to better oral intake and swallowing safety.
• Auricular electroacupuncture presents a promising and potentially more effective therapeutic option compared to standard electrical stimulation for this patient population.