| Objective: To investigate the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with action observation therapy (AOT) on swallowing function and swallowing quality of life in patients with dysphagia after unilateral cerebral hemisphere stroke. Methods: A total of 60 patients with post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) were randomly divided into control group, rTMS group, AOT group and rTMS+AOT) group, n=15 in each group. Each group received routine swallowing function training, once a day, 20 min each time, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks. The control group only received routine swallowing training, and the other three groups received rTMS or (and) AOT on the basis of routine swallowing training, respectively. The rTMS and AOT were treated once a day, 20 min each time, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks. Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS), Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA) and Swallow Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (SWAL-QOL) were evaluated before and after treatment. Results: After 4 weeks of treatment, oral transport time (OTT), swallowing reaction time (SRT), pharyngeal transport time (PTT), laryngeal closure time (LCT) and SSA scores in four groups were decreased as compared with those before treatment, and SWAL-QOL scores increased (P<0.05). As compared with the control group, OTT, SRT, PTT, LCT and SSA scores were significantly decreased in the other three groups, and SWAL-QOL scores were significantly increased (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the rTMS group and the AOT group, but the effect of rTMS+AOT group was significantly better than that of the rTMS group and the AOT group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Both rTMS and AOT can improve the swallowing function and swallowing quality of life of PSD patients, but the effect of rTMS combined with AOT is better than that of single rTMS and AOT. |
