Temporal coordination of pharyngeal and laryngeal dynamics with breathing during swallowing: single liquid swallows

TLDR

The study used simultaneous videofluoroscopy and respiratory recordings to analyze the timing and patterning of 12 swallowing events and associated respiratory activities during single liquid swallows. Four repeatable, temporally oriented clusters of swallowing and respiratory events were identified, with two respiratory phase patterns showing no significant differences in frequency across age, gender, or race, providing a basis for distinguishing normal and abnormal breathing‑swallowing patterns in dysphagia patients.

Abstract

The critical integration of timing and patterning between respiratory and swallowing events was studied with simultaneous videofluoroscopic and respiratory recording during single liquid swallows. Respiratory phase patterns and the onsets and durations of 12 predetermined swallowing events and associated respiratory activities were studied. Results showed four highly repeatable, temporally oriented sequences (clusters) of swallowing and related respiratory events. Two respiratory phase patterns were identified without statistically significant differences in frequency of occurrence between age, gender, or race. These findings will aid in the identification of normal and abnormal patterns of breathing and swallowing in patients with dysphagia.