title: Influence of body position, dry and water swallows, smoking, and alcohol on esophageal acid clearing.
abstract: Esophageal acid clearing in normal subjects was studied in different body positions, with an assessment of reproducibility, after dry and water swallows, after smoking, and after alcohol intake. A significant increase in the number of swallows to raise the distal esophageal pH to 5.0 was found in the head-down position (p less than 0.003), after smoking (p less than 0.003), and after alcohol intake (p less than 0.001). It is proposed that the outcome of the acid-clearing test reflects both the transporting capacity of the esophageal muscles and the production of saliva. The precision of the acid-clearing test is not satisfactory, which makes it unsuitable for use in individual cases. It seems, however, well fitted for evaluation of esophageal acid clearing in larger samples.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D003679:Deglutition; D004947:Esophagus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D006851:Hydrochloric Acid