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Oropharyngeal dysphagia is common in patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs). Its early recognition is vital for proper management. We tested a large cohort of adult NMD patients for oropharyngeal dysphagia using the Sydney Swallow Questionnaire (SSQ). We also looked for possible differences in characteristics of oropharyngeal dysphagia in various NMD groups and diseases. Finally, we compared results of this screening with those from their corresponding medical records for eventual “clinical history” of dysphagia.

We asked patients to fill in the SSQ during follow‐up outpatient visits at our neuromuscular reference center. A total score above the cutoff score of 118.5 out of 1700 was indicative of oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Of the 304 adult patients assessed for eligibility, 201 NMD patients (96 women and 105 men, aged 49.0 ± 16.2 years) were included and …