The effects of resistance training of swallowing muscles on dysphagia in older people: A cluster, randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of resistance training of swallowing muscles in community-dwelling older individuals with dysphagia.

METHODS: A cluster randomized controlled trial was performed in day-service and day-care facilities. The participants were older (≥65 y) community-dwelling individuals with dysphagia. The intervention group performed a tongue resistance exercise and a head flexion exercise against manual resistance. Both groups received a brochure on dysphagia rehabilitation. The primary endpoint was an improvement in dysphagia assessed by the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) score. Tongue pressure was the secondary endpoint.

RESULTS: Participants included 47 men and 57 women, with a mean age ± standard deviation of 80 ± 7 y. At baseline, the median EAT-10 score was 7 (interquartile range, 5-12). A total of 91 patients, 43 in the intervention group (8 clusters) versus 48 in the control group (11 clusters), were assessed postintervention. The percentage of participants with EAT-10 scores <3 was not statistically significantly different between the two groups (intervention group, 23% versus control group, 19%, P = 0.598). Postintervention median EAT-10 scores were 6 (interquartile range, 3-10) in each group (P = 0.665) and mean tongue pressure was 23.9 ± 10.0 versus 25.9 ± 10.9 kPa (P = 0.376). The intervention did not significantly affect the EAT-10 score or tongue pressure in a mixed effects random intercept model. The Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form score correlated significantly with the postintervention EAT-10 score.

CONCLUSIONS: Resistance training of swallowing muscles did not improve dysphagia in this study. Better nutritional status correlated independently with improved swallowing function.