[Lower esophageal sphincter pressure in patients with achalasia. Is high blood pressure frequent in these patients?].
OBJECTIVE
To describe variability of lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure in patients with diagnosis of achalasia based in esophageal manometry.


METHODS
We included 29 patients with diagnosis of achalasia confirmed by water perfusion manometry performed between July 2000 and June 2002 at the Digestive and Liver Disease Center in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Three were excluded due to impossibility of evaluating LES.


RESULTS
Esophageal aperistalsis was found in all patients. LES pressure was normal in 73%, low (hypotension) in 8%, and high (hypertension) in only 19% of patients. Relaxation of LES showed different responses ranging from absence to complete relaxation after degluttion. There was absence of relaxation after degluttion in all patients with LES hypertension and hypotension.


CONCLUSIONS
Hypertension of LES in our cohort of patients with achalasia was seen only in 19%. Knowledgement of manometric variability is fundamental to avoid errors in achalasia diagnosis and further patient treatment.
Malé Velásquez
René
R
Departamento de Gastroenterología del Hospital del Carmen y del Centro de Enfermedades Digestivas y Hepáticas, S. C., Guadalajara, Jal.
Alvarez
Carmen
C
Ayuso
Cipatly
C
Zavala
María Guadalupe
MG
Langle
Héctor
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology