Swallowing and ventilation patterns in stable COPD patients: An observational study

Our study aimed to investigate swallowing coordination by analyzing ventilatory patterns during of solids and liquids food intakes. Twenty-one patients with severe to very severe stable COPD (GOLD III and IV) underwent ventilation and swallowing recordings while performing standardized swallowing tasks. The results revealed that the expiratory-expiratory (EE) swallowing pattern was predominant, accounting for 80 % of swallows, with no significant differences between solid and liquid swallows. Non-EE patterns occurred in an average of 20.68 % of swallows per patient. Our results demonstrated an increased inspiratory time (IT) during liquid swallows compared to rest (1.05 ± 0.28 s vs 1.29 ± 0.22 s; p < 0.0125), as well as prolonged expiratory time (ET: 2.09 ± 0.78 s vs 3.42 ± 1.16 s; p < 0.001) and total respiratory cycle time (TT: 3.14 ± 1.03 s vs 4.70 ± 1.21 s; p < 0.01) during both solid and liquid swallows compared to rest. These changes resulted in a decreased IT/TT ratio during swallowing. Our findings confirm that the EE swallowing pattern remains predominant in stable COPD patients, consistent with observations in healthy individuals. Additionally, the study highlights significant alterations in ventilatory patterns during swallowing. These results contribute to a better understanding of the interplay between swallowing and ventilation in COPD and its potential implications for airways protection.