Feasibility of Cough Skill Training in Individuals With Head and Neck Cancer
Boston University Charles River Campus
Summary
This preliminary study will examine the feasibility of a cough skill training treatment approach to rehabilitate voluntary cough function in people with head and neck cancer. Cough skill training focuses on practicing cough as a compensatory strategy for when food or liquid enters the airway. Primary outcomes will be feasibility and immediate treatment effects. The investigators hypothesize that the treatment will be feasible and will result in improvements to voluntary cough peak expiratory flow rate.
Description
Participants will complete an initial in-person baseline evaluation of voluntary cough function, followed by five weekly telehealth treatment sessions for five weeks with home practice, before completing a post-treatment in-person evaluation. During each treatment session with study personnel and during home practice, they will complete 25 repetitions (5 sets of 5) of voluntary coughs.
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Prior diagnosis of head and neck cancer at least 6 months post-diagnosis * Completed treatment for head and neck cancer, including surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy * Medically stable and able to follow commands and produce a voluntary cough * English speaking Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to provide informed consent assessed by a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score of \<20 * Unable to follow study instructions * Unable to produce a voluntary cough * History of neurologic disease * Recent laryngeal surgery or vocal fold injury * Active respiratory infection or…
Interventions
- DeviceHandheld cough device
During each treatment session with study personnel and during home practice, participants will complete 25 repetitions (5 sets of 5) of a voluntary coughs.
Location
- Airway Protection Research Lab at Boston UniversityBoston, Massachusetts