title: Effect of age on proximal esophageal response to swallowing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been demonstrated that the ageing process affects esophageal motility.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of the age on the proximal esophageal response to wet swallows.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the proximal esophageal response to swallows of a 5 mL bolus of water in 69 healthy volunteers, 20 of them aged 18-30 years (group I), 27 aged 31-50 years (group II), and 22 aged 51-74 years (group III). We used the manometric method with continuous perfusion. The proximal esophageal contractions were recorded 5 cm from a pharyngeal recording site located 1 cm above the upper esophageal sphincter. The time between the onset of the pharyngeal and of the proximal esophageal recording (pharyngeal-esophageal time) and the amplitude, duration and area under the curve of the proximal esophageal contraction were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pharyngeal-esophageal time was shorter in group I subjects than in group II and III subjects (P<0.05). The duration of proximal esophageal contractions was longer in group I than in groups II and III (P<0.001). There was no differences between groups in the amplitude or area under the curve of contractions. There were no differences between groups II and III for any of the measurements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the age may affects the response of the proximal esophagus to wet swallows.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. rodantas@fmrp.usp.br
authors.forename: Roberto Oliveira
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.forename: Leda Maria Tavares
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Juciléia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dalmazo
authors.forename: Carla Manfredi dos
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Rachel de Aguiar
authors.initials: Rde A
authors.lastname: Cassiani
authors.forename: Weslania Viviane do
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: Nascimento
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D004326:Drinking / Q000502:physiology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D010528:Peristalsis / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014867:Water