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Background Stroke-induced dysarthria is caused by muscle weakness, sacral or muscular dystonia, and incoordination of the articulatory organ formed by organic lesions caused by cerebral vascular obstruction or sudden bursting of blood vessels in the brain, which may cause abnormal breathing patterns, pronunciation, resonance, rhythm, and unclear articulation. The Six Character Formula, or Liuzijue qigong ( LQG ), is an essential part of Chinese traditional exercises and focuses on breathing–speech synchronization. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of LQG with traditional breathing training (combined with basic articulation training in both groups) in patients with post-stroke dysarthria. Methods/design The proposed study will be a single-center randomized controlled trial. A total of 100 patients, with a modified Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment (FDA) dysarthria assessment score < 27 and with a FDA speech breathing level ≥ b will be randomly divided into study ( LQG , n  = 50) and control (conventional breathing training, n = 50) groups. Basic articulation training will be conducted once a day, five times a week for 3 weeks. Data collection will be conducted at baseline, 1 week, and 2 weeks post-treatment initiation and after completion of the treatment (3 weeks). Comprehensive analyses will be conducted to measure and compare any differences in speech breathing dysfunction levels, comprehensive evaluation of dysarthria, maximum phonation time (MPT), maximal counting ability, signal-noise (S/Z) ratio, and loudness scales between the study and control groups. Discussion This trial will provide evidence about the effectiveness of LQG for improvement of speech breathing function and speech ability in patients with post-stroke dysarthria complicated with abnormal breathing. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-INR-16010215. Registered 21 December 2016.

The swallowing reflex is well coordinated with breathing patterns in normal humans. However, patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) may have a swallowing disorder that reflects the abnormal function of nerves and muscles in the suprapharynx. To examine the relationship between the swallowing function and sleep-disordered breathing in patients with OSAS. Twenty patients with OSAS with a mean (± SD) age of 53.4 ± 8.9 years old, and 20 age-matched control subjects with a mean age of 51.4 ± 9.1 years old. OSAS was diagnosed using the recordings of overnight polysomnography. The swallowing function in the subject was tested using a swallowing provocation test. The swallowing reflex was determined according to the following criteria: latent time (LT), the time following a bolus injection of distilled water at the suprapharynx to the onset of swallowing; inspiratory suppression time (IST), the time from the termination of swallowing to the next onset of inspiration; and threshold volume, the minimum volume of water (range, 0.4 to 2 mL) that could evoke the swallowing response. Whereas the LT values in patients with OSAS were larger than the LT values in the control subjects, the IST values (which may reflect the switching mechanism from deglutition apnea to breathing) were actually shorter. In addition, a greater bolus volume was necessary to elicit swallowing in patients with OSAS than was necessary in the control subjects. Patients with OSAS are likely to exhibit an impaired swallowing reflex, probably due to the perturbed neural and muscular function of the upper airways.