title: Esophageal motility patterns in patients with and without coronary heart disease and healthy controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate esophageal motility patterns in patients with chest pain with and without coronary artery disease, in order to elucidate the question: Does "non-cardiac" chest pain really exist?
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with chest pain and normal coronary angiograms, patients with chest pain and coronarographically diagnosed coronary artery disease and controls were prospectively studied with long-term manometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pressure amplitudes were 38.3 (NCA)/39.82(CAD) and 30 (CG) mmHg (p<0.02, p<0.02) distally and 30/28.1 and 25.5 mmHg (p<0.02) proximally. The percentage of propulsive contractions were 51.5%/45% and 53.5% (p<0.05) and of simultaneous contractions were 18.5%/23% and 10% (p<0.0005, p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Esophageal motility patterns of patients with chest pain and normal coronary angiograms and coronary artery disease differ significantly from controls. Both patient groups show a considerable overlap in motility disturbances. These data indicate that the term "non-cardiac" chest pain in fact does not sufficiently characterize patients' status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Adamek
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zymanski
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hagemann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pfaffenbach
mesh_terms: D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015154:Esophageal Motility Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010528:Peristalsis / Q000502:physiology