Medicine · 6 authors, 1 centre
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This systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials evaluated different frequencies of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for post-stroke swallowing disorders. The central result is that while multiple frequencies improved outcomes on the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) compared to control, only 3 Hz, 5 Hz, and 10 Hz showed significant improvement on the Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA).
It compared the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at 1 Hz, 3 Hz, 5 Hz, and 10 Hz versus a control group. The analysis used two primary outcome measures: the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) and the Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA). For PAS, all tested frequencies (1 Hz, 3 Hz, 5 Hz, and 10 Hz) showed a statistically significant better treatment effect than the control group. For SSA, only 3 Hz, 5 Hz, and 10 Hz were significantly better than control, with 1 Hz showing no significant difference. Cumulative ranking suggested 3 Hz was best for PAS, while 10 Hz was best for SSA. Limitations include potential bias from excluded concealed and blinded trials and the heterogeneity of the included studies.
