The Effect of a Home-based Orofacial Exercise Program on Oral Aperture of Systemic Sclerosis Patients

Systemic Sclerosis Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effect of a Combined Home-based Orofacial Exercise Program on Oral Aperture of Patients With Systemic Sclerosis: a Single-blind Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04336475
• Other study ID #: Cukurova University Nihan C.
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: March 1, 2017
• Est. completion date: January 31, 2019

Study information

• Verified date: April 2020
• Source: Cukurova University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Systemic sclerosis is a systemic disease which may involve multiple organ systems and cause functional disabilities. Microstomia is one of the most common complications of the disease which may result in difficulties performing oral self-care, complication in professional dental care and even malnutrition in the advanced cases. Since the disease is rare and the studies are limited, there is still not an agreed upon orofacial exercise program to improve the oral aperture of the patients. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of a newly diseased home-based exercise program for improving microstomia in those patient population.

Description:

The study was designed as a single-blind, prospective, randomized controlled study with a 2-month follow-up period, carried out in rheumatology outpatient clinic, between March 2017 - January 2019. Systemic sclerosis patients with an oral aperture of <40mm were included in the study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Randomization was done as the sealed envelope method. After the informed consent was taken, the opaque envelope that the patient have chosen was opened and patients were offered the allocated treatment regimen. Group 1 was given exercise regimen and oral hygiene care advices for the first one month; followed by no exercise but oral hygiene care advices for the next four weeks. Group 2, as the control group, received oral hygiene care advices for the first one month, followed by the exercise regimen twice a day along with oral hygiene care advices for the next four weeks. Oral care advices were given to every participant by a dentist involved in the study at their first visit. With this protocol, we aimed (a) to investigate whether there is a benefit of the exercise program on microstomia; (b) to observe the carryover effect of exercise therapy on microstomia after discontinuing the treatment over a period of time; (c) to estimate the intervention strategy by comparing the same medical approach with different sequences. The exercise program was demonstrated to patients by a clinician at the first visit and given to all patients printed as a manual to be done every day for one month duration of the exercise program. Additionally, a diary was given to patients to mark when they have completed the exercise and to note in the case of pain on daily basis. The exercise regimen was developed on the basis of previous studies and clinical knowledge.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 60
• Est. completion date: January 31, 2019
• Est. primary completion date: January 31, 2019
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: N/A and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• systemic sclerosis patients with an interincisal distance of <40 mm

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients with missing teeth

• dysfunction of temporo-mandibular joints

• oral malignancy

• recent dental procedures

• multiple active digital ulcers

• diagnosed psychiatric conditions

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Microstomia
• Scleroderma, Diffuse
• Scleroderma, Systemic
• Sclerosis
• Systemic Sclerosis

Intervention

Other:
• orofacial exercise program
combined stretching&strengthening exercise regimen

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Turkey	Cukurova University	Adana

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Cukurova University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Turkey, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change From Baseline in Oral Aperture Measurement	the interincisal distance between the maxillary and mandibular central incisors in the midline	2 months