Effects of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training on Swallowing in Parkinsons Disease Patients with Dysphagia

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effects of a structured four-week expiratory muscle strength training EMST4 program on swallowing function in patients with Parkinsons disease who have difficulty swallowing dysphagia. This non-randomized intervention aims to assess how EMST influences the biomechanics of swallowing using advanced techniques to measure neuromuscular changes. Participants will undergo daily EMST sessions consisting of 5 sets of 5 breaths, carried out 5 days a week for one month. The study uses devices to provide this training and evaluates swallowing function through fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing FEES combined with pharyngeal high-resolution manometry HRM to gather detailed biomechanical data. Throughout the study, participants will be assessed at one month and three months to measure changes in swallowing biomechanics, including the pharyngeal contractile integral PhcI, and to evaluate swallowing safety and efficiency using DIGEST-FEES scoring. The research team will monitor participants progress with these objective measures to understand the impact of the EMST program on swallowing function over time.

Biomechanical Effects of EMST® on Swallowing Function in Parkinson's Disease