Clinical trial NCT00580138: Real-Time Internet Evaluation of Swallowing
Official title: Real-Time Internet Evaluation of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Head and Neck Cancer
Stroke
Keywords: Deglutition Disorders
Evaluation
Real-time internet
Lead sponsor: University of Arkansas
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: University of Illinois at Chicago
name: University of Wisconsin, Madison
First posted: 2007-12-24
Enrollment: 30
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 21
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: CASE_ONLY
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Individuals who have suffered a stroke and/or head and neck cancer and are referred for evaluation of swallowing function.

Brief summary: The purpose of this study is to determine whether real-time internet evaluations of swallowing, or x-ray swallow studies viewed over closed internet circuit, are a reliable method of evaluating swallowing function.

Detailed description: The objective of this proposal is to establish the validity of an Internet based protocol for real-time, remote, telefluoroscopic evaluation of oropharyngeal swallowing function. The investigators will achieve this goal by testing the hypothesis that oropharyngeal swallowing function evaluated by an experienced speech-language pathologist (SLP) using a remote, interactive, real-time, dynamic Internet telefluoroscopic procedure, which was developed in the PI's laboratory, has an acceptable level of agreement with the evaluations performed by an experienced SLP who is present in the fluoroscopy suite and using the traditional videofluoroscopic methodology. In other words, the primary aim of this investigation is to determine whether the telemedicine approach to evaluation of swallowing function is reliable relative to the traditional method by which a clinician is in direct contact with a patient for a pre-examination interview, clinical examination, and videofluoroscopic evaluation of swallowing function. Confirmation of the reliability of the telefluoroscopic evaluation of oropharyngeal dysphagia (hereafter referred to as dysphagia) can result in equity of access for underserved groups for whom SLPs with expertise in evaluating swallowing function are locally unavailable. Ultimately, the success of this project could translate specialty services into routine clinical practice across the United States and globally.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Stroke, Head \& neck cancer, referred for swallowing evaluation.

Exclusion Criteria:

* No stroke or no head and neck cancer, or not referred for swallowing evaluation.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Reliability Ratings Among Clinicians Using Real-time Internet Evaluation of Swallowing.
timeFrame: 2 years
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Urbana-Champaign
country: United States
facility: University of Illinois
state: Illinois
city: Madison
country: United States
facility: University of Wisconsin
state: Wisconsin
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign
name: Adrienne Perlman
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: UAMS Medical Center
name: Gary H McCullough, Ph.D.
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: