SwallowFIT Study for Parkinson's Disease
This study, called SwallowFIT, is looking at whether a special exercise program can help improve swallowing in people with Parkinson's disease. The program, called SwallowFIT, uses a step-by-step approach to make swallowing tasks harder over time, guided by a speech-language pathologist. The goal is to see how well this exercise works to improve your swallowing fitness. Researchers will compare people who receive the SwallowFIT training to those who get the usual care for swallowing issues. You might be able to join if you are 35-90 years old, have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (Hoehn & Yahr stages II-III), and have concerns about your swallowing.
- Study design
- This interventional study plans to enroll 80 participants. It compares the SwallowFIT exercise program to standard care.
- What's involved
- If you receive the SwallowFIT training, you will have 12 one-hour sessions over 6 weeks, twice a week.
- Compensation
- Not stated in the trial record.
- Follow-up
- Your swallowing ability and Parkinson's symptoms will be measured from the start of the study up to 6 months later.
AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.
SwallowFIT Study in Parkinson's Disease
At a glance
Conditions
NCT07356414
Where you'd take part
This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.
Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC)
San Antonio, Texasstudy coordinator listed
Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.
Study leadership
- Giselle Carnaby, PhD, MP · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Who to contact
Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.
What this trial measures
- Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MASA)Baseline to 6 months
The MASA score is measured using a 5-point to 10-point rating scale. The total possible score of the MASA is 200 points, and the cutoff value is 177 points. The results of the MASA are interpreted as no abnormality (≥178), mild dysphagia (168-177), moderate dysphagia (139-167), and severe dysphagia (≤138).
- Modified Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS)Baseline to 6 months
The MDS-UPDRS uses a 0-4 scoring system, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms. Parts I-III are scored on a 0-4 scale, while Part IV uses "yes" and "no" ratings. The total score range is 0-260, with 0 representing no disability and 260 representing total disability.
- Modified Hoehn and Yahr (HY) ScaleBaseline to 6 months
The Hoehn and Yahr (H\&Y) scale is a grading system used to assess the progression and severity of motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). It ranges from Stage 0 (no signs of disease) to Stage 5 (severe disability, wheelchair or bed bound). Stages 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 are considered early stages, while stages 3, 4, and 5 represent later, more advanced stages.
- Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)Baseline to 6 months
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a cognitive screening tool with a maximum score of 30 points, with a score of 26 or higher generally indicating normal cognitive function. Scores between 18 and 25 may suggest mild cognitive impairment (MCI), while scores below 18 may indicate moderate to severe impairment.
- PD Quality of Life Scale (PDQ-39)Baseline to 6 months
The PDQ-39 is a questionnaire used to assess the impact of Parkinson's disease on quality of life. It consists of 39 questions, each rated on a 5-point scale from 0 (never) to 4 (always). Scores for the 39 questions are added to obtain a total score. The scores for the 8 subscales (mobility, activities of daily living, emotional well-being, stigma, social support, cognition, communication, and physical discomfort) are obtained by summing the scores for the relevant questions within each subscale. The total score and subscale scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater impact of Parkinson's disease on quality of life.