Effects of Pharyngeal Electrical Stimulation on Swallow Timings, Clearance and Safety in Post-Stroke Dysphagia: Analysis from the Swallowing Treatment Using Electrical Pharyngeal Stimulation (STEPS) Trial

Table 4

VFSS measures at baseline for 50 ml bolus (comparison by Chi-square/Fisher’s Exact Test or Welch’s -Test (unpooled test).

50 ml measures at baseline	N	All	PES	Sham
PAS, 50 ml worst	49	6.7 (1.8)	6.6 (1.7) [25]	6.8 (2.0) [24]
PAS, 50 ml mean	49	3.6 (1.9)	3.3 (1.8) [25]	3.9 (1.9) [24]
No. swallows to clear	49	7.8 (5.0)	8.0 (5.5) [25]	7.5 (4.6) [24]
Initiation of pharyngeal swallow	45		22	23
Bolus head-ramus		3 (6.7)	3 (13.6)	0 (0.0)
Bolus head-valleculae		4 (8.9)	2 (9.1)	2 (8.7)
Bolus head-laryngeal surface		5 (11.1)	3 (13.6)	2 (8.7)
Bolus head-pyriforms		33 (73.3)	14 (63.6)	19 (82.6)
No visible initiation		0 (0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
Oral residue (0-4)	40		22	18
Complete clearance		0 (0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
Trace residue		1 (2.5)	1 (4.5)	0 (0.0)
Residue collection		37 (92.5)	20 (90.9)	17 (94.4)
Majority bolus remaining		1 (2.5)	1 (4.5)	0 (0.0)
Minimal/no clearance		1 (2.5)	0 (0.0)	1 (5.6)
Pharyngeal residue (0-4)	43		23	20
Complete clearance		0 (0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
Trace residue		10 (23.3)	7 (30.4)	3 (15.0)
Residue collection		31 (72.1)	14 (60.9)	17 (85.0)
Majority bolus remaining		1 (2.3)	1 (4.3)	0 (0.0)
Minimal/no clearance		1 (2.3)	1 (4.3)	0 (0.0)