Sensorimotor Training for Airway Protection Improves Cough Function in Parkinson Disease

Cough-related outcomes in patients with Parkinson disease and dysphagia improved more with a skill-based approach compared with a strength-based approach, according to a randomized controlled trial published in the journal Movement Disorders.

The prospective, blinded, phase 2 trial randomly assigned 65 patients with Parkinson disease and dysphagia to 5 weeks of expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) or sensorimotor training for airway protection (smTAP). Patients were assessed at baseline and after they completed their training.

Among participants, 34 patients underwent EMST, and 31 patients underwent smTAP. 

Both groups improved in maximum expiratory pressure and voluntary cough peak expiratory flow rate between baseline and post-training assessments, according to the findings.  

However, the smTAP group, but not the EMST group, also showed improvements in reflex cough peak expiratory flow rate, reflex cough expired volume, and urge to cough. The odds ratio for improvement in urge to cough was 2.70 with smTAP compared with EMST.

“This clinical trial confirmed the efficacy of smTAP to improve reflex and voluntary cough function, above and beyond EMST, the current gold standard,” wrote Michelle S. Troche, PhD, CCC-SLP, of Columbia University, New York, New York, and coauthors.

Reference: 
Troche MS, Curtis JA, Sevitz JS, et al. Rehabilitating cough dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease: a randomized controlled trial. Mov Disord. 2023;38(2):201-211. doi:10.1002/mds.29268