Upper gastrointestinal evaluation of Chinese patients with non-cardiac chest pain.
OBJECTIVE
To test the usefulness of upper gastrointestinal investigations and quality of life assessment in Chinese patients with non-cardiac chest pain.


METHODS
Seventy-eight consecutive patients with non-cardiac chest pain underwent upper endoscopy. Eight patients had upper gastrointestinal pathology (10%). The remaining 70 patients received acid perfusion test, oesophageal manometry and 24-h ambulatory oesophageal pH (n=65)/manometry (n=61), and the results were compared with those of healthy controls (n=20). Symptoms and quality of life (SF-36) were assessed by standard validated questionnaire.


RESULTS
Significant acid reflux symptoms were present in five (5/70, 7%) patients. Abnormal 24-h oesophageal pH, indicating gastro-oesophageal reflux, was found in 19 (19/65, 29%) patients. The percentage of simultaneous contractions was higher and the percentage peristalsis was lower in patients with non-cardiac chest pain when compared with normal subjects by 24-h ambulatory manometry. Patients with non-cardiac chest pain had a lower SF-36 score when compared to controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Typical acid reflux symptoms are uncommon in Chinese patients with non-cardiac chest pain, but abnormal 24-h pH results, indicating gastro-oesophageal reflux, were found in 29% of patients. Ineffective contractions were more frequently found in patients with non-cardiac chest pain by 24-h ambulatory manometry, which may have a bearing on the impaired quality of life in such patients. Upper gastrointestinal investigations are useful for the evaluation of Chinese patients with non-cardiac chest pain.
Wong
W-M
WM
Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. wmwongg@hku.hk
Lai
K C
KC
Lau
C P
CP
Hu
W H C
WH
Chen
W H
WH
Wong
B C Y
BC
Hui
W M
WM
Wong
Y H
YH
Xia
H H X
HH
Lam
S K
SK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D002681:China; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006356:Heartburn / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires