A multidisciplinary collaborative diagnosis and rehabilitation program for dysphagia in general hospitals.

Dysphagia is a common complication of various clinical conditions, with an increased incidence as age advances. Complications such as aspiration, malnutrition, and aspiration pneumonia caused by dysphagia significantly affect the overall treatment outcomes of patients. Scholars both domestically and internationally are increasingly focusing on early rehabilitation for dysphagia. This article summarizes common conditions causing dysphagia, clinical manifestations, complications, screening assessment, diagnosis, rehabilitation, and nutritional support related to dysphagia. It emphasizes the arrival at a multidisciplinary collaborative diagnosis and formulation of a rehabilitation management plan for dysphagia in general hospitals in order to provide strategic suggestions for establishing a multidisciplinary collaborative model for swallowing disorder management in general hospitals.

Potential of Rice-Flour Jelly Made from High-Amylose Rice as a Dysphagia Diet: Evaluation of Pharyngeal Residue by FEES.

Dysphagia diets are recommended to prevent choking and aspiration in people with dysphagia; however, rice-porridge and mashed rice-porridge, which are used as staple foods for people with dysphagia in Japan, are time-consuming to prepare. The National Agriculture and Food Research Organization has found jelly-like food products made from high-amylose rice-flour (rice-flour jelly) to be easy to prepare with a texture suitable for dysphagia diets. To investigate the potential of rice-flour jelly for the dysphagia diet, we evaluated the amount of pharyngeal residue after swallowing rice-flour jelly using fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing and compared it with those of rice-porridge, mashed rice-porridge, and fruit jelly. We enrolled 70 participants (43 males and 27 females, aged 32-96 years, median 74.5 years) and evaluated their pharyngeal residue using the Yale Pharyngeal Residue Severity Rating Scale which includes five levels from I (none) to V (severe). Statistical analysis showed that level I was more common in fruit jelly for vallecula residue and pyriform sinus residue, and level III (mild) was more common in rice-porridge for vallecula residue (p < 0.05). No differences of pharyngeal residue were found in rice-flour jelly or mashed rice-porridge. No significant difference was observed in the number of participants with laryngeal penetration or aspiration. Therefore, rice-flour jelly is a suitable alternative to rice-porridge as a staple food for people with dysphagia in terms of food texture.

The Screening Test for Aphasia and Dysarthria (STAD) for Patients with Neurological Communicative Disorders: A Large-Scale, Multicenter Validation Study in Japan.

INTRODUCTION: Evaluation of multiple domains, such as language, articulation, and cognitive function, is frequently required in neurological communicative disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance of a 10-min screening scale for estimating aphasia, dysarthria, and cognitive dysfunction using a multicenter, large-sized consecutive series. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter validation study that included 314 patients with brain injury between February 1 and June 31, 2018, from 20 medical centers across Japan. The Screening Test for Aphasia and Dysarthria (STAD) was developed in Japan in 2009, and a previous smaller-scale retrospective study established its high to moderate validity. All patients had undergone the STAD, and 212 of them underwent the Western Aphasia Battery or Assessment of Motor Speech for Dysarthria. The effect size on all 29 items and receiver operating curves of 3 sections of the STAD were analyzed based on external criteria, which were decided considering the clinical diagnosis of aphasia, dysarthria, and cognitive dysfunction. Correlations between the STAD and reference tests were calculated. RESULTS: The phi coefficients of 23 out of 29 items exceeded the moderate effect size of 0.3 toward the targeted disorder. Overall, there was a good balance between sensitivity (82-92%) and specificity (77-78%), with moderate to large positive and negative likelihood ratios (3.7-4.19 and 0.1-0.23). The Pearson's r between the verbal section and Western Aphasia Battery Aphasia Quotient, the articulation section and Assessment of Motor Speech for Dysarthria, and the nonverbal section and Western Aphasia Battery Nonlinguistic Skills were 0.89, 0.70, and 0.79, respectively. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that the STAD has acceptable content and concurrent validity for the assessment of communicative function in patients with brain injury. This short screening tool can be useful in specific contexts, such as in early bedside investigations, to obtain a quick summary of communicative function prior to the administration of other tests, and in cases where more in-depth testing is not feasible.

Benefits of physical therapy for people living with hemophilia.

This crossover study investigated effects of physical therapy (PT) on motor function in patients with hemophilia infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to treatment with non-heat-treated blood products. Patients were randomly divided into a PT-first group (PT once monthly for 6 months, then only home exercise (HE) for 6 months) and an HE-first group (HE for 6 months, then PT once monthly for 6 months). Carryover, period, and treatment effects were examined. Carryover effect was observed for flexion muscle strength of the right hip joint and fast walking cadence. Period effect was observed for extension Range of motion (ROM) of the left hip joint, dorsiflexion of the right ankle joint, and fast walking cadence. PT tended to be effective for abduction of the left shoulder joint and fast walking cadence. Compared with HE, PT tended to contribute to improving ROM of the shoulder joints and fast walking.

Outcomes After Intensive Rehabilitation for Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of intensive rehabilitation on mortality and liberation from mechanical ventilation among patients with mechanical ventilation in intensive care units. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database. SETTING: Patients discharged from acute care hospitals from April 2010 to March 2016. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=46,438) aged 20 years and older who were admitted to intensive care units and who started rehabilitation within 3 days of starting mechanical ventilation. INTERVENTION: Intensive rehabilitation in intensive care unit in the first 5 days after admission. Amount of rehabilitation was defined as the average number of units per day in the first 5 days after admission and was dichotomized as intensive (≥1.0 unit/d) or nonintensive (<1.0 unit/d) rehabilitation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcome was liberation from mechanical ventilation. RESULTS: We identified 29,982 eligible patients, including intensive (n=7745) and nonintensive (n=22,237) rehabilitation groups. In the propensity score-matched analysis, the intensive rehabilitation group had significantly lower in-hospital mortality (risk difference: -3.4%; 95% CI, -4.9% to -1.9%) and a higher proportion of liberation from mechanical ventilation (subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03-1.13) compared with the nonintensive rehabilitation group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving a higher amount of rehabilitation in intensive care units were less likely to die and more likely to be liberated from mechanical ventilation.

Evaluation of a chest rehabilitation project in Nepal using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test.

[Purpose] The incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is rapidly increasing worldwide. In Nepal, it has the highest mortality rate among all noninfectious diseases. Since 2015, we have been involved in a project that aims to facilitate chest rehabilitation for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Nepal. We compared the Nepali version of the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire with the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test, the latter of which was translated into Nepali for this project. We also evaluated the extent to which patient quality of life improved after the rehabilitation program. [Participants and Methods] The Nepali St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test were used to assess the health status of patients both before the intervention's initiation and one year after it. Between May and September of 2016, 122 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease participated in this program. [Results] We collected valid responses from 57 patients both before and after the intervention. The scores of both screening tools were significantly lower after the intervention than before and showed a significant correlation with one another. [Conclusion] These results suggest that the Nepali version of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test is a reliable tool for the evaluation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and that the intervention used in the project might be effective for patients afflicted with the disease. However, there are limitations to the research design, such as the limited number of participants used in the study.

Society of swallowing and dysphagia of Japan: Position statement on dysphagia management during the COVID-19 outbreak.

On April 14, the Society of Swallowing and Dysphagia of Japan (SSDJ) proposed its position statement on dysphagia treatment considering the ongoing spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The main routes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 are physical contact with infected persons and exposure to respiratory droplets. In cases of infection, the nasal cavity and nasopharynx have the highest viral load in the body. Swallowing occurs in the oral cavity and pharynx, which correspond to the sites of viral proliferation. In addition, the possibility of infection by aerosol transmission is also concerning. Dysphagia treatment includes a broad range of clinical assessments and examinations, dysphagia rehabilitation, oral care, nursing care, and surgical treatments. Any of these can lead to the production of droplets and aerosols, as well as contact with viral particles. In terms of proper infection control measures, all healthcare professionals involved in dysphagia treatment must be fully briefed and must appropriately implement all measures. In addition, most patients with dysphagia should be considered to be at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 because they are elderly and have complications including heart diseases, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and cerebrovascular diseases. This statement establishes three regional categories according to the status of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Accordingly, the SSDJ proposes specific infection countermeasures that should be implemented considering 1) the current status of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the region, 2) the patient status of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 3) whether the examinations or procedures conducted correspond to aerosol-generating procedures, depending on the status of dysphagia treatment. This statement is arranged into separate sections providing information and advice in consideration of the COVID-19 outbreak, including "terminology", "clinical swallowing assessment and examination", "swallowing therapy", "oral care", "surgical procedure for dysphagia", "tracheotomy care", and "nursing care". In areas where SARS-CoV-2 infection is widespread, sufficient personal protective equipment should be used when performing aerosol generation procedures. The current set of statements on dysphagia management in the COVID-19 outbreak is not an evidence-based clinical practice guideline, but a guide for all healthcare workers involved in the treatment of dysphagia during the COVID-19 epidemic to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A nationwide survey regarding the life situations of patients with thalidomide embryopathy in Japan, 2018: First report.

BACKGROUND: Clinical studies on the effects of thalidomide-induced damage on thalidomide victims as they age have only recently started to be conducted, but no studies have examined socioeconomic differences in terms of healthcare and social status between thalidomiders and the age-matched general population in Japan. Therefore, we carried out a nationwide survey focusing on the life situations of thalidomiders. METHOD: Questionnaires were sent to 274 thalidomiders in Japan. The questionnaire items basically matched those of the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions (CSLC) in the general population conducted by the Japanese Government. The results were compared with those of the CSLC for individuals aged 55-59 years, which was the cohort most similar in age to the average thalidomider living in Japan. RESULTS: More thalidomiders rated their health condition as relatively bad or bad compared with the general population (20.2% vs. 13.3%, respectively). A much higher percentage of thalidomiders reported having some health or physical problem caused by a disease or injury (68.8% vs. 32.6%, respectively), and thalidomiders reported visiting medical and healthcare-related facilities more frequently. A higher proportion of thalidomiders (9.2%) were unemployed, and thalidomiders tended to feel higher levels of worry and stress, especially in terms of the future. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this nationwide survey of the life situations of thalidomiders in Japan clarified their health conditions and the related associations with socioeconomic status. These findings could be expected to help improve the provision of medical and healthcare, welfare measures, and financial support for thalidomiders in the near future.

Development of a toileting performance assessment test for patients in the early stroke phase.

Purpose: The study aimed to develop a toileting performance assessment test to measure the toileting performance ability of patients in the early phase after stroke.Methods: In this study, 214 stroke patients were enrolled. Cronbach's α, Spearman's rank correlations (ρ values) with the toileting-related items of the functional independence measure and Barthel Index, interrater reliability (weighted κ), and responsiveness (standardized response mean) were evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic and the area under the curves were utilized to determine the cutoff scores for the significance of the independence of toilet ability with the functional independence measure and Barthel Index.Results: Cronbach's α was ≥0.90. The p values between toileting performance assessment test and Barthel Index and between toileting performance assessment test and functional independence measure were 0.88 and 0.86, respectively. The weighted κ for each item was ≥0.61. The standardized response means were 0.81 for the functional independence measure, 0.70 for the Barthel Index, and 0.93 for the toileting performance assessment test. Cutoff scores of the toileting performance assessment test were 18 points.Conclusions: The toileting performance assessment test has acceptable psychometric properties and proved useful in assessing toileting performance ability of patients in the early phase after stroke.Implications for rehabilitationToileting performance assessment test demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties, and it can be useful for assessing the toileting ability of patients in the early phase after stroke.Toileting performance assessment test should provide information that leads to lowered risk of falls while toileting, and the information gathered can assist patients in achieving early toileting independence after stroke.As the development of toileting performance assessment test excluded patients with cognitive disabilities, the item for cognitive function should be developed as well.

Study protocol for single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial to clarify the preventive efficacy of electrical stimulation for muscle atrophy after trauma.

BACKGROUND: Management of trauma involves long-term bed rest even when muscle strength in the lower extremities is preserved. Prolonged bed rest reduces muscle mass and causes muscle atrophy. A recent study reported the efficacy of rehabilitation using electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) for muscle strength maintenance in intensive care unit patients with disturbance of consciousness. However, despite the expected benefits of EMS in maintaining muscle strength, little is known about its efficacy in trauma patients. METHODS/DESIGN: A single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial of 40 patients with pelvic fracture to test the effectiveness of 14 days of EMS. The primary outcome will be change in cross-sectional area of the thigh muscle between pre and post intervention, as measured on computed tomography images. We will analyze the primary endpoint by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and analyze the secondary endpoints in an exploratory manner. CONCLUSION: If our hypothesis is confirmed, this study will provide evidence that the use of EMS can be effective in preventing muscle atrophy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN registration number: UMIN000030190 . Registered on 1 December 2017.

The Criteria of Thickened Liquid for Dysphagia Management in Japan.

In Japan, the viscosity of thickened liquids is different among hospitals and nursing homes. In order to standardize viscosity of thickened liquids, the dysphagia diet committee of the Japanese Society of Dysphagia Rehabilitation developed the Japanese Dysphagia Diet 2013 (JDD2013). To decide on a definition of thickened liquids, the committee reviewed categories from other countries. Especially, the criteria of the USA and Australia were used as references. The definition had three levels: mildly thick, moderately thick, and extremely thick. Then a sensory evaluation by health care workers was carried out to decide the viscosity range of each level, and a draft document was made. After collecting public comments, follow-up experiments using thickened water with thickeners using xanthan gum were performed, and the JDD2013 (Thickened Liquid) was determined. The JDD2013 (Thickened Liquid) evaluated the drinking properties, visual properties, and viscosity values of each level. The shear rate of 50 s-1 was adopted to measure the viscosity with a cone and plate type viscometer to duplicate the measurement criteria used by the USA. We also set the values of the JDD2013 with the Line Spread Test to promote the use of guidelines in clinical practice. We believe the JDD2013 standards help hospitals and other settings that care for people with dysphagia to use the same thickness level and the same labels. In the future, the JDD2013 levels will be compared with new international guidelines to help with international understanding of the JDD2013 levels.

Association Between Early Rehabilitation and Mobility Status in Elderly Inpatients with Heart Failure: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: We set out to examine the effectiveness of early rehabilitation for maintaining mobility status during hospitalization in elderly patients with heart failure. METHODS: Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database, we retrospectively examined the eligibility of 527,440 consecutive patients aged ≥60 years who were diagnosed with heart failure with New York Heart Association class ≥ II at admission between July 2010 and March 2014. Of the 146,735 eligible subjects, 39,357 underwent early rehabilitation and 107,378 underwent non-early rehabilitation. Early rehabilitation was defined as rehabilitation starting within 3 days after admission. A multivariable logistic regression analysis and an instrumental variable analysis were carried out to examine the association of early rehabilitation with changes in mobility status during hospitalization. RESULTS: The proportion of heart failure patients with maintained or improved mobility status during hospitalization was higher in the early rehabilitation group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the early rehabilitation group had a significantly higher proportion with maintained or improved mobility status (odds ratio, 1.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-1.43; P<0.001). The instrumental variable analysis showed that early rehabilitation was associated with an increased proportion of patients with maintained or improved mobility status (risk difference, 0.8%; 95% confidence interval, 0.4%-1.1%; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that early rehabilitation is associated with an increase in the proportion of patients with maintained or improved mobility status compared with non-early rehabilitation in elderly inpatients with heart failure.

Impact of Rehabilitation on Outcomes in Patients With Ischemic Stroke: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study in Japan.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed to examine the concurrent effects of timing and intensity of rehabilitation on improving activities of daily living (ADL) among patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database, we retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients with ischemic stroke at admission who received rehabilitation (n=100 719) from April 2012 to March 2014. Early rehabilitation was defined as that starting within 3 days after admission. The average rehabilitation intensity per day was calculated as the total units of rehabilitation during hospitalization divided by the length of hospital stay. A multivariable logistic regression analysis with multiple imputation and an instrumental variable analysis were performed to examine the association of early and intensive rehabilitation with the proportion of improved ADL score. RESULTS: The proportion of improved ADL score was higher in the early and intensive rehabilitation group. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that significant improvements in ADL were observed for early rehabilitation (odds ratio: 1.08; 95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.13; P<0.01) and intensive rehabilitation of >5.0 U/d (odds ratio: 1.87; 95% confidence interval: 1.69-2.07; P<0.01). The instrumental variable analysis showed that an increased proportion of improved ADL was associated with early rehabilitation (risk difference: 2.8%; 95% confidence interval: 2.0-3.4%; P<0.001) and intensive rehabilitation (risk difference: 5.6%; 95% confidence interval: 4.6-6.6%; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggested that early and intensive rehabilitation improved ADL during hospitalization in patients with ischemic stroke.

Effect of early rehabilitation on activities of daily living in patients with aspiration pneumonia.

AIM: To assess the effect of early rehabilitation on improving activities of daily living (ADL) in elderly patients with aspiration pneumonia. METHODS: Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database, we retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients with aspiration pneumonia at admission who received early rehabilitation (n = 48 201) or did not receive any rehabilitation (n = 64 357) from July 2010 to March 2013. Early rehabilitation was defined as any type of physical rehabilitation initiated within 7 days after admission. The proportions of improved ADL scores from admission to discharge were compared between the early rehabilitation group and the non-rehabilitation group using a multivariable logistic regression analysis and instrumental variable analysis. RESULTS: The proportion of improved ADL scores was higher in the early rehabilitation group than in the non-rehabilitation group (25.4% vs 33.9%; P < 0.001). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the early rehabilitation group exhibited significant improvement in ADL (odds ratio 1.57; 95% confidence interval 1.50-1.64; P < 0.001). The instrumental variable analysis showed that early rehabilitation was associated with increased proportion of improved ADL (risk difference 8.2%; 95% confidence interval 6.9-9.5%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that early rehabilitation might improve ADL during hospitalization in patients with aspiration pneumonia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 1181-1187.

Comparison of characteristics and healing course of diabetic foot ulcers by etiological classification: neuropathic, ischemic, and neuro-ischemic type.

AIMS: To identify differences in the characteristics of patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) according to their etiological classification and to compare their healing time. METHODS: Over a 4.5-year period, 73 patients with DFUs were recruited. DFUs were etiologically classified as being of neuropathic, ischemic, or neuro-ischemic origin. Descriptive analyses were performed to characterize study subjects, foot-related factors, and healing outcome and time. Duration of healing was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Healing time among the three types was compared using the log rank test. RESULTS: The number of patients manifesting neuropathic, ischemic, and neuro-ischemic ulcers was 30, 20, and 14, respectively. Differences were identified for age, diabetes duration, body mass index, hypertension, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Patients with neuro-ischemic ulcers had better ankle-brachial index, skin perfusion pressure (SPP), and transcutaneous oxygen pressure values compared to those with ischemic ulcers. The average time in which 50% of patients had healed wounds was 70, 113, and 233 days for neuropathic, neuro-ischemic, and ischemic ulcers, respectively. Main factors associated with healing were age and SPP values. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the etiological ulcer type, DFU healing course and several patient factors differed. Failure to consider the differences in DFU etiology may have led to heterogeneity of results in previous studies on DFUs.

Efficacy of intranasal desmopressin for the treatment of nocturnal polyuria in the elderly females.

Older adults often complain of nocturia as one of the most bothersome symptoms of lower urinary tract incontinence. Nocturia places such patients at risk of falling down and insomnia and increases the care burden. The causes of nocturia include various factors, such as neuropathic bladder, prostate hyperplasia and pelvic floor muscle weakness. It has also been reported that nocturia is caused by an increased renal blood flow while lying down and the loss of diurnal variation in vasopressin. The intranasal administration of desmopressin at night may improve nocturia. We experienced a case of severe nocturia that could not be controlled with fluid restriction, urethral catheterization before sleep or anticholinergic drugs. Due to frequent urination during the night, the patient was unable to sleep well and required frequent nursing care. Following the administration of nasal desmopressin before sleep, the number of episodes of nocturia considerably improved. In addition, no adverse events, such as hyponatremia, were observed with desmopressin use. Physicians should therefore consider using desmopressin in cases with treatment-resistant nocturia.

Development of new measurement system of thoracic excursion with biofeedback: reliability and validity.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory rehabilitation reduces breathlessness from patient with respiratory dysfunction. Chest expansion score, which represents the circumference magnitude of the thoracic cage, is used for a target when treating patients with respiratory disease. However, it is often difficult for patients to understand the changes in the respiratory status and be motivated for therapy continuously. We developed a new measurement system with biofeedback named BREATH which shows chest expansion scores in real time. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the novel system in advance of clinical application. METHODS: Three evaluators measured chest expansion in 33 healthy individuals using tape measure, which is used for the measurement traditionally, and BREATH. The wire for BREATH system was threaded over the thoracic continuously and the data was recorded automatically; whereas the tape was winded and measured each maximal expiration and inspiration timing by evaluator. All participants were performed both measurement simultaneously for three times during deep breath. In this study, we studied chest expansion score without using biofeedback data of BREATH to check the validity of the result. To confirm intra- and inter-evaluator reliability, we computed intra-class correlations (ICCs). We used Pearson's correlation coefficient to evaluate the validity of measurement result by BREATH with reference to the tape measure results. RESULTS: The average (standard deviation) chest expansion scores for all, men and women by the tape measure were 5.53 (1.88), 6.40 (1.69) and 5.22 (1.39) cm, respectively, and those by BREATH were 3.89 (2.04), 4.36 (1.83) and 2.89 (1.66) cm, respectively. ICC within and among the three evaluators for BREATH and the tape measure were 0.90-0.94 and 0.85-0.94 and 0.85 and 0.82, respectively. The correlation coefficient between the two methods was 0.76-0.87. CONCLUSION: The novel measurement system, BREATH, has high intra- and inter-evaluator reliabilities and validity; therefore it can lead us more effective respiratory exercise. Using its biofeedback data, this system may help patients with respiratory disease to do exercises more efficiently and clinicians to assess the respiratory exercise more accurately.

Thoracic ROM measurement system with visual bio-feedback: system design and biofeedback evaluation.

Patients with diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) need to improve their thorax mobility. Thoracic ROM is one of the simplest and most useful indexes to evaluate the respiratory function. In this paper, we have proposed the prototype of a simple thoracic ROM measurement system with real-time visual bio-feedback in the chest expansion test. In this system, the thoracic ROM is measured using a wire-type linear encoder whose wire is wrapped around the thorax. In this paper, firstly, the repeatability and reliability of measured thoracic ROM was confirmed as a first report of the developed prototype. Secondly, we analyzed the effect of the bio-feedback system on the respiratory function. The result of the experiment showed that it was easier to maintain a large and stable thoracic ROM during deep breathing by using the real-time visual biofeedback system of the thoracic ROM.