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NCT07630116Completed

Improving Dysphagia in Stroke Patients With Chin Tuck Against Resistance Exercise

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 5 Jun 2026

Brief summary (registry, in English)

According to a 2014 report from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, cerebrovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death, with a mortality rate of 51.6 per 100,000 population, ranking fourth among the top ten causes of death. Stroke is often associated with symptoms such as unilateral weakness, slurred speech, facial asymmetry, and swallowing or speech difficulties, with approximately 42-67% of patients experiencing dysphagia. Dysphagia is primarily associated with dysfunction of the pharyngeal muscles and impaired coordination, often accompanied by central nervous system dysfunction. Common symptoms include choking, coughing after eating, drooling, difficulty eating, and swallowing problems, which may lead to complications such as pneumonia and malnutrition. Chin tuck against resistance (CTAR), developed by Yoon et al. in 2014, is a simple and non-invasive exercise aimed at improving pharyngeal muscle contraction, chewing and bolus formation, and coordination between the pharynx and upper esophagus. Previous studies suggest that CTAR exercises can effectively improve swallowing-related muscle function. However, there is a lack of research targeting acute stroke patients in hospital settings. Therefore, this study is designed as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of CTAR exercises in improving dysphagia. Participants will be randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group will perform CTAR exercises once daily, five days per week, for two weeks, in addition to routine rehabilitation exercises until discharge. The control group will receive routine rehabilitation exercises once daily, five days per week. Effectiveness will be assessed using a 90 mL water swallowing test and the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10). Baseline measurements will be conducted prior to the intervention, and subsequent assessments will be performed every two days during the study period. Additional outcomes include changes in EAT-10 scores and the removal rate of nasogastric tubes before discharge.

Status (registry)
Completed
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
112 (actual)
First submitted
1 Jun 2026
Start date
Oct 2024
Primary completion date
Apr 2026
Lead sponsor
Taichung Veterans General Hospital
Diseases
Stroke
NCT number
NCT07630116

What you commit to

  • Study type: Interventional
  • Participants enrolled: 112
  • From Oct 2024 to the primary completion date, Apr 2026
  • 1 site in 1 country
  • Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them

Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.

Who cannot take part

Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.

Other illness

  • Cognitive impairment
  • Brainstem stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage
  • Diagnosed psychiatric disorder or dementia
  • History of cervical spine injury

Other

  • Unstable vital signs
  • Presence of endotracheal tube or tracheostomy
  • Head-of-bed elevation restricted to less than 30 degrees
  • Nil per os (NPO) status as ordered by a physician

Who the study is looking for

  • Patients aged ≥ 20 years diagnosed with ischemic stroke
  • NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score between 6 and 20
  • Conscious and able to communicate in Mandarin or Taiwanese
  • Failed the 90 mL water swallow test

Age in the registry: 20 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers

Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov

Sites (1)

Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.

SiteCityCountrySite status
Taichung Veterans General Hospital
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
TaichungTaiwanUnknown status

This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.