The Effects of Swallowing Training on the Reconstruction of Swallowing Function and Aspiration Pneumonia of Patients with Dysphagia Following Acute Stroke

Objective To study the effects of swallowing training on the functional reconstruction of swallowing function and aspiration pneumonia in the acute stroke patients with dysphagia. Methods 48 patients with clinical dysphagia following the acute stroke were randomly chosen and divided into two groups:the treatment group(n=23) and the control group (n=20). Both groups received the similar treatments with normal rehabilitation training, while the patients in the treatment group were additionally treated with swallowing training once every day for one month simultaneously. The patients were treated 30 minutes each time. The following indexes were measured before the treatment and one month after the treatment, respectively. ①The swallowing function was evaluated by using drinking experiment and repetitive saliva swallowing test (RSST); ②The occurrence ofaspiration pneumonia was detected by using X-ray. Results No significant difference was found in the scores of drinking experiment and repetitive saliva swallowing test for the patients between the two groups before treatment (P 0.05). One month after the treatment, scores of drinking experiment were decreased in the treatment group than that of the control group (P 0.05), and scores of RSST were significantly increased in the treatment group than that of the control group (P 0.05). The recovery of swallowing function was superior in the treatment group as to that of the control group (P 0.05). The occurrence of aspiration pneumonia in the treatment group decreased obviously as compared with that in the control group (P 0.05). Conclusion These results indicate that the swallowing training could promote swallowing functional reconstruction and improve swallowing function of the patient with acute stroke, and reduce the incidence rate of aspiration pneumonitis.