[Aging and esophageal motility in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease].
BACKGROUND
Alterations of esophageal contractions may worsen the esophageal lesions caused by gastroesophageal reflux. The impairment of the contractions may be localized only in the distal esophagus or in the entire esophageal body, and may be worse with the aging process.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the proximal and distal esophageal contractions in patients with gastroesophageal reflux symptoms with or without esophagitis.


METHODS
We studied esophageal motility in 104 patients with gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, 42 with normal esophageal endoscopic examination, 47 with mild esophagitis and 15 with severe esophagitis. The esophageal contractions were measured by the manometric method at 2, 7, 12 and 17 cm from the upper esophageal sphincter, after five swallows of a 5 mL bolus of water.


RESULTS
The amplitude and area under the curve of contractions were lower in patients with severe esophagitis than in patients without esophagitis or with mild esophagitis in the distal part of the esophageal body (17 cm from the upper esophageal sphincter). In the proximal esophageal body there was no difference in amplitude or area under the curve. In the entire esophageal body there was no difference between the three groups of patients in duration, velocity of peristaltic contractions, or proportion of failed, simultaneous, non-propagated or peristaltic contractions. There was no difference between the patients with less than 50 years or with more than 50 years of age.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with severe esophagitis had lower distal esophageal contraction amplitude than patients without esophagitis or with moderate esophagitis. There was no effect of aging on esophageal contractions.
Dantas
Roberto Oliveira
RO
Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP. rodantas@fmrp.usp.br
Aprile
Lilian Rose Otoboni
LR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015154:Esophageal Motility Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index