Objective:To explore the effects of respiratory muscle training(RMT)combined with phrenic nerve electrical stimulation(PNES)on coughing ability and lung function in stroke patients with pulmonary infection.Method:A total of 66 patients with pulmonary infection after stroke,admitted to our hospital from January 2022 to January 2024,were randomly assigned to either an observation group or a control group,with 33 cas-es in each group.During the study,three patients from each group dropped out.Both groups received conven-tional pharmacological and rehabilitation treatment.Additionally,the observation group received combined RMT and PNES,administered once a day,5 days per week,for 4 weeks.Outcome measures included:Cough peak flow rate(CPF),Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score(CPIS),and Borg Dyspnea Scale scores,assessed at baseline,1 week,2 weeks,and 4 weeks.Pulmonary function tests were performed at baseline and after 4 weeks,including maximum inspiratory pressure(MIP),maximum expiratory pressure(MEP),forced vital ca-pacity(FVC),forced expiratory volume in the first second(FEV1),maximum volume per minute(MVV).The percentages of predicted values(FVC％,FEV1％,MVV％)were calculated.Coughing ability and pulmo-nary function were compared between the groups.Result:At baseline and after 1 week of treatment,there were no significant between-group differences in CPF,CPIS,or Borg Dyspnea scores(P>0.05).However,after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment,the observation group showed significantly greater improvements in CPF,CPIS,and Borg Dyspnea scores compared to the control group(P<0.05).Furthermore,after 4 weeks of treatment,the improvement in all pulmonary function parame-ters(MIP,MEP,FVC％,FEV1％,MVV％)was significantly greater in the observation group than in the con-trol group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Respiratory muscle training combined with phrenic nerve electrical stimulation can effectively improve the coughing ability,alleviate pulmonary infection,and enhance lung function in stroke patients within a short peri-od of time,which is worthy of promotion and application in the treatment of lung infection in early stroke.

Objective:To explore the effect of different swallowing tasks on cortex activation and functional connectivity in stroke survivors with dysphagia using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).Methods:Thirty stroke survivors with dysphagia performed three different swallowing tasks: swallowing action observation (SO), swallowing action execution (SE), and swallowing action imagination (SI). During each task, fNIRS was used to document the brain concentrations of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin. Cortex activation (β value) and brain functional connectivity were assessed.Results:Compared with the resting state, the areas activated during the SO task included the left primary sensory cortex and the right prefrontal cortex. During the SE and SI tasks the left prefrontal cortex and the left motor cortex were activated as well. Compared with hemorrhagic stroke survivors, ischemic stroke survivors showed significantly greater activation of the right primary sensory cortex, the right motor cortex, and the left primary sensory cortex during the SE task. Functional connectivity during the SO, SE and SI tasks was significantly greater than in the resting state, with the average connectivity values during the SE task significantly higher than during the SI task.Conclusions:Stroke survivors with dysphagia exhibit increased activation in the prefrontal cortex and primary sensory cortex during different swallowing tasks. Such tasks can improve their brain functional connectivity.

Objective:To explore the effect of different swallowing tasks on cortex activation and functional connectivity in stroke survivors with dysphagia using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).Methods:Thirty stroke survivors with dysphagia performed three different swallowing tasks: swallowing action observation (SO), swallowing action execution (SE), and swallowing action imagination (SI). During each task, fNIRS was used to document the brain concentrations of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin. Cortex activation (β value) and brain functional connectivity were assessed.Results:Compared with the resting state, the areas activated during the SO task included the left primary sensory cortex and the right prefrontal cortex. During the SE and SI tasks the left prefrontal cortex and the left motor cortex were activated as well. Compared with hemorrhagic stroke survivors, ischemic stroke survivors showed significantly greater activation of the right primary sensory cortex, the right motor cortex, and the left primary sensory cortex during the SE task. Functional connectivity during the SO, SE and SI tasks was significantly greater than in the resting state, with the average connectivity values during the SE task significantly higher than during the SI task.Conclusions:Stroke survivors with dysphagia exhibit increased activation in the prefrontal cortex and primary sensory cortex during different swallowing tasks. Such tasks can improve their brain functional connectivity.

Objective:To explore the effects of respiratory muscle training(RMT)combined with phrenic nerve electrical stimulation(PNES)on coughing ability and lung function in stroke patients with pulmonary infection.Method:A total of 66 patients with pulmonary infection after stroke,admitted to our hospital from January 2022 to January 2024,were randomly assigned to either an observation group or a control group,with 33 cas-es in each group.During the study,three patients from each group dropped out.Both groups received conven-tional pharmacological and rehabilitation treatment.Additionally,the observation group received combined RMT and PNES,administered once a day,5 days per week,for 4 weeks.Outcome measures included:Cough peak flow rate(CPF),Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score(CPIS),and Borg Dyspnea Scale scores,assessed at baseline,1 week,2 weeks,and 4 weeks.Pulmonary function tests were performed at baseline and after 4 weeks,including maximum inspiratory pressure(MIP),maximum expiratory pressure(MEP),forced vital ca-pacity(FVC),forced expiratory volume in the first second(FEV1),maximum volume per minute(MVV).The percentages of predicted values(FVC％,FEV1％,MVV％)were calculated.Coughing ability and pulmo-nary function were compared between the groups.Result:At baseline and after 1 week of treatment,there were no significant between-group differences in CPF,CPIS,or Borg Dyspnea scores(P>0.05).However,after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment,the observation group showed significantly greater improvements in CPF,CPIS,and Borg Dyspnea scores compared to the control group(P<0.05).Furthermore,after 4 weeks of treatment,the improvement in all pulmonary function parame-ters(MIP,MEP,FVC％,FEV1％,MVV％)was significantly greater in the observation group than in the con-trol group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Respiratory muscle training combined with phrenic nerve electrical stimulation can effectively improve the coughing ability,alleviate pulmonary infection,and enhance lung function in stroke patients within a short peri-od of time,which is worthy of promotion and application in the treatment of lung infection in early stroke.