title: Diagnosis of chest pain with foregut symptoms in Chinese patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnosis of chest pain with foregut symptoms in Chinese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Esophageal manometric studies, 24-h introesophageal pH monitoring and 24-h electrocardiograms (Holter electrocardiography) were performed in 61 patients with chest pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine patients were diagnosed with non-specific esophageal motility disorders (29 patients with abnormal gastroesophageal reflux and eight patients with myocardial ischemia). Five patients had diffuse spasm of the esophagus plus abnormal gastroesophageal reflux (two patients had concomitant myocardial ischemia), and one patient was diagnosed with nutcracker esophagus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The esophageal manometric studies, 24-h intra-esophageal pH monitoring and Holter electrocardiography are significant for the differential diagnosis of chest pain, particularly in patients with foregut symptoms. In cases of esophageal motility disorders, pathological gastroesophageal reflux may be a major cause of chest pain with non-specific esophageal motility disorders. Spasm of the esophageal smooth muscle might affect the heart-coronary smooth muscle, leading to myocardial ischemia.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Department, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China. superdb@163.com
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Ru-Wen
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yao-Guang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Qun-You
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Xiang-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Jing-Hai
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yun-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Tai-Qian
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002681:China; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015155:Esophageal Spasm, Diffuse / Q000175:diagnosis; D004947:Esophagus / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult