Abstract
BackgroundStroke-induced dysarthria is caused by muscle weakness, sacral or muscular dystonia, and incoordination of the articulatory organ formed by organic lesions caused by cerebral vascular obstruction or sudden bursting of blood vessels in the brain, which may cause abnormal breathing patterns, pronunciation, resonance, rhythm, and unclear articulation.The Six Character Formula, or Liuzijue qigong (LQG), is an essential part of Chinese traditional exercises and focuses on breathing–speech synchronization. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of LQG with traditional breathing training (combined with basic articulation training in both groups) in patients with post-stroke dysarthria.Methods/designThe proposed study will be a single-center randomized controlled trial. A total of 100 patients, with a modified Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment (FDA) dysarthria assessment score < 27 and with a FDA speech breathing level ≥ b will be randomly divided into study (LQG, n = 50) and control (conventional breathing training, n = 50) groups. Basic articulation training will be conducted once a day, five times a week for 3 weeks. Data collection will be conducted at baseline, 1 week, and 2 weeks post-treatment initiation and after completion of the treatment (3 weeks). Comprehensive analyses will be conducted to measure and compare any differences in speech breathing dysfunction levels, comprehensive evaluation of dysarthria, maximum phonation time (MPT), maximal counting ability, signal-noise (S/Z) ratio, and loudness scales between the study and control groups.DiscussionThis trial will provide evidence about the effectiveness of LQG for improvement of speech breathing function and speech ability in patients with post-stroke dysarthria complicated with abnormal breathing.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-INR-16010215. Registered 21 December 2016.
Highlights
Stroke-induced dysarthria is caused by muscle weakness, sacral or muscular dystonia, and incoordination of the articulatory organ formed by organic lesions caused by cerebral vascular obstruction or sudden bursting of blood vessels in the brain, which may cause abnormal breathing patterns, pronunciation, resonance, rhythm, and unclear articulation
This trial will provide evidence about the effectiveness of Liuzijue qigong (LQG) for improvement of speech breathing function and speech ability in patients with post-stroke dysarthria complicated with abnormal breathing
Trial design Our proposed study is a single-center randomized controlled trial comparing the therapeutic effect of two breathing training methods (Six Character Formula vs traditional breathing training) in patients with post-stroke dysarthria complicated with abnormal respiratory control
Summary
Stroke-induced dysarthria is caused by muscle weakness, sacral or muscular dystonia, and incoordination of the articulatory organ formed by organic lesions caused by cerebral vascular obstruction or sudden bursting of blood vessels in the brain, which may cause abnormal breathing patterns, pronunciation, resonance, rhythm, and unclear articulation. The recovery of post-stroke dysarthria is dependent on the improvement of breath control ability since the basis of sound is supported by the volume and control of respiratory airflow [7]. Intensive voice treatment, such as Lee Silverman voice treatment (LSVT) [8], has shown improved articulation, facial expression, and swallowing in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) [9] and some positive effects in other neurological disorders (stroke and cerebral palsy) [10]. Traditional breathing training programs, such as blowing paper, candles, and ink and other exercises, deliberately force thoracic breathing into the abdominal breathing mode but ignore the synchronous treatment of pronunciation and breathing, blindly strengthening muscle strength, which makes the treatment program rigid
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