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Rationale: Malnutrition and aspiration are major problems in patients with neuromuscular disease. Because impaired swallowing contributes to malnutrition, means of improving swallowing are needed.

Objectives: To investigate interactions between breathing and swallowing in neuromuscular disorders and to evaluate the impact of mechanical ventilation (MV) on swallowing in tracheostomized patients.

Methods: We studied 10 healthy individuals and 29 patients with neuromuscular disease and chronic respiratory failure (including 19 with tracheostomy). The tracheostomized patients who could breathe spontaneously were recorded during spontaneous breathing (SB) and with MV, in random order.

Measurements and Main Results: Breathing–swallowing interactions were investigated by chin electromyography and inductive respiratory plethysmography, using three water-bolus sizes (5, 10, and 15 ml) in random …