Assessment of the role and effectiveness of nurse-led multimodal intervention in the rehabilitation of dysphagia in patients with brain tumors
In brief
Nurse-led program boosts swallowing function and quality of life in brain tumor patients
In a randomized trial of 120 brain-tumor patients with dysphagia, a nurse-directed multimodal regimen-personalized swallowing exercises, nutrition, psychological support, and family-involved rehab-produced significantly greater gains in swallowing test scores and quality-of-life measures than standard nursing care. The findings suggest multidisciplinary, nurse-driven rehab can enhance outcomes, but larger studies are needed to confirm generalizability.
- Journal
- Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (Q1)
- Published
- 10 September 2026
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Evidence level
- Level 1, High (CEBM 1b)
- Authors
- Yaping Lu, Haifeng Wu
- PMID
- 42720801
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00520-026-11203-x
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Rehabilitation (top studies of the week, 13 September 2026): Dysphagia rehab in brain tumor patients
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dysphagia is a common complication in patients with brain tumors, which has a profound adverse impact on patients' health status and quality of life. However, there is a relative lack of research on the rehabilitation of dysphagia in brain tumor patients, especially regarding the role and effectiveness of nurse-led multimodal interventions in the rehabilitation of dysphagia in brain tumor patients, which lacks systematic assessment and in-depth discussion. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the role and effectiveness of a nurse-led multimodal intervention in improving swallowing function and quality of life in brain tumor patients with dysphagia. METHODS: In this study, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design was used to select 120 dysphagia patients among brain tumor patients admitted to our hospital during the period of January 2024 to May 2024 as the study subjects, and they were stratified and randomly divided into an intervention group (n = 60) and a control group (n = 60). While the control group received conventional nursing care and treatment protocols, the intervention group received a nurse-led multimodal intervention program, including personalized swallowing training, nutritional support, psychological care, and a family-participatory rehabilitation program, which was developed and dynamically adjusted by nurses, rehabilitation therapists, and dietitians. Differences in data before and after the intervention were analyzed using the paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and between-group comparisons were made using the independent samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Both the intervention and control groups showed improvement in swallowing function among the patients. The Kubota drinking test score, Saito's swallowing function grading, and the quality of life scores for patients in the intervention group showed a significant enhancement compared to those in the control group (P < 0.05), indicating that the intervention was more effective than the control. When compared within groups, all scores in both the intervention and control groups improved gradually with the time of intervention (P < 0.05). The improvement was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that a nurse-led multimodal intervention is significantly effective in improving swallowing function and quality of life in patients with brain tumors. The intervention provides comprehensive rehabilitation support for patients through multidisciplinary collaboration and personalized care and has certain clinical promotion value.
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.