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 5

Comparison of PAS, timing, and clearance measures for 50 ml worst swallow, by change score from baseline to two weeks, using Independent Samples -Test (continuous variables) and Mann–Whitney Test (ordinal variables).

50 ml measures at 2 weeks		PES; Mean (SD)		No PES; Mean (SD)	Difference/95% (CI)	value
PAS, 50 ml worst	24	-1.04 (2.73)	22	-0.95 (3.03)	-0.09 (-1.81, 1.63)	0.92
PAS, 50 ml mean	24	-0.42 (1.93)	22	-0.64 (1.59)	0.22 (-0.83, 1.27)	0.68
No. swallows to clear	24	-1.17 (4.30)	22	-1.27 (4.92)	0.11 (-2.65, 2.87)	0.94
Initiation of pharyngeal swallow (0-4)	21		20			0.58
Bolus head-ramus		4 (19.0)		1 (5.0)
Bolus head-valleculae		0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)
Bolus head-laryngeal surface		3 (14.3)		5 (25.0)
Bolus head-pyriforms		14 (66.7)		14 (70.0)
No visible initiation		0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)
Oral residue (0-4)	19		15			0.26
Complete clearance		0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)
Trace residue		0 (0.0)		2 (13.3)
Residue collection		18 (94.7)		13 (86.7)
Majority bolus remaining		0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)
Minimal/no clearance		1 (5.3)		0 (0.0)
Pharyngeal residue (0-4)	21		17			0.35
Complete clearance		0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)
Trace residue		7 (33.3)		2 (11.8)
Residue collection		14 (66.7)		15 (88.2)
Majority bolus remaining		0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)
Minimal/no clearance		0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)