Abstract
Why deglutition occurs during sleep remains unclear and controversial, but subclinical aspiration during sleep is surmised to contribute to much aspiration pneumonia, requiring that deglutition during sleep be evaluated. We studied the relationship between deglutition and sleep using deglutition waves based on nocturnal polysomnography data recorded while measuring esophageal pressure in patients suspected of having sleep-breathing disturbance. Most deglutition was found in stage 1 and then in stage 2 and REM sleep. Little deglutition was seen in stage 3 and 4, however. A relationship was thus found in sleep phase and deglutition, but no clear influence on deglutition during sleep was found for sleep apnea syndrome or age.
