Open AccessLiuzijue qigong versus traditional breathing training for patients with post-stroke dysarthria complicated by abnormal respiratory control: Results of a single-center randomized controlled trial
Author(s) -
Jie Wang,
Gaiyan Li,
Shanshan Ding,
Yu Long,
Yan Wang,
Lei Qiao,
Qilin Wu,
Weidong Ni,
Hang Fan,
Qianyun Zheng,
Ying Zhang,
Hongli Liu
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
clinical rehabilitation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.15
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1477-0873
pISSN - 0269-2155
DOI - 10.1177/0269215521992473
Subject(s) - dysarthria , medicine , phonation , randomized controlled trial , physical therapy , stroke (engine) , randomization , breathing , rehabilitation , audiology , anesthesia , mechanical engineering , engineering
Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate whether liuzijue qigong could improve the ability of respiratory control and comprehensive speech in patients with stroke dysarthria.Design: A randomized controlled trial.Setting: The research was carried out in the department of rehabilitation.Participants: Altogether, a total of 98 stroke patients with dysarthria participated in the study.Interventions: Patients were randomly divided into two groups (the experimental group: basic articulation + liuzijue qigong, 48 patients or the control group: basic articulation + traditional breathing training, 50 patients). All therapies were conducted once a day, five times a week for three weeks.Main measures: Primary outcome measure: Speech breathing level of the modified Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment. Secondary outcome measures: the modified Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, maximum phonation time, maximal counting ability, /s/, /z/, s/z ratio, and the loudness level. All outcome measures were assessed twice (at baseline and after three weeks).Results: At three weeks, There were significant difference between the two groups in the change of speech breathing level (81% vs 66%, P = 0.011), the modified Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment (5.54 (4.68–6.40) vs 3.66 (2.92–4.40), P = 0.001), maximum phonation time (5.55 (4.92–6.18) vs 3.01(2.31–3.71), P < 0.01), maximal counting ability (3.08(2.45–3.71) vs 2.10 (1.53–2.67), P = 0.018), and /s/ (3.08 (2.39–3.78) vs 1.87 (1.23–2.51), P = 0.004), while no significant differences were found in the change of /z/ (3.08 (2.31–3.86) vs 2.10 (1.5–2.64), P = 0.08), s/ z ratio (1.26 (0.96–1.55) vs 1.03 (0.97–1.09), P = 0.714), and the change of loudness level (69% vs 60%, P = 0.562).Conclusions: Liuzijue qigong, combined with basic articulation training, could improve the respiratory control ability, as well as the comprehensive speech ability of stroke patients with dysarthria.Trial registration: ChiCTR-INR-16010215.