Influence of Modified Diet, Exercise and Electrical Swallowing Muscle Stimulation on Swallowing Function and Quality of Life in Elderly Patients With Oropharyngeal Dysphagia

Influence of Modified Diet, Exercise and Electrical Swallowing Muscle Stimulation on Swallowing Function and Quality of Life in Elderly Patients With Oropharyngeal Dysphagia

Tasks of biomedical research:

1. To determine the severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia and the risk of aspiration in elderly patients.
2. To evaluate the quality of life of older patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia by performing validation of the Lithuanian version of the quality of life questionnaires in patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia.
3. To evaluate the severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia in elderly patients, the risk of aspiration, and quality of life after interventions.

Data on the sex, age and disease of the swallowing disorder will be collected. No processing of other personal data and health indicators is planned. All data will be collected in questionnaires. The data will be depersonalized by giving the patient a code.

The results and conclusions of the research will be described in the doctoral dissertation and will be used for scientific articles.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients 60 years of age and older;
• Swallowing disorder suspected during hospitalization - oropharyngeal dysphagia;
• Patient's written consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• severe oropharyngeal dysphagia (when feeding into the stomach through a nasogastric tube is required);
• Significant respiratory or heart failure: dyspnoea (respiratory rate> 20 rpm, SpO2 <90%), tachycardia (HR> 100 rpm);
• very severe malnutrition (severe exhaustion, severe signs of sarcopenia);
• final stage of oncological disease;
• severe dementia (Short Mental Test (MMSE) <10 points);
• Ingestion assessment with a fibroendoscope (FEES) did not reveal any swallowing problems (no dysphagia).