title: Esophageal contractions, bolus transit and perception of transit after swallows of liquid and solid boluses in normal subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Esophageal dysphagia is the sensation that the ingested material has a slow transit or blockage in its normal passage to the stomach. It is not always associated with motility or transit alterations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate in normal volunteers the possibility of perception of bolus transit through the esophagus after swallows of liquid and solid boluses, the differences in esophageal contraction and transit with these boluses, and the association of transit perception with alteration of esophageal contraction and/or transit.
  
  
  METHODS
  The investigation included 11 asymptomatic volunteers, 4 men and 7 women aged 19-58 years. The subjects were evaluated in the sitting position. They performed swallows of the same volume of liquid (isotonic drink) and solid (macaroni) boluses in a random order and in duplicate. After each swallow they were asked about the sensation of bolus passage through the esophagus. Contractions and transit were evaluated simultaneously by solid state manometry and impedance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perception of bolus transit occurred only with the solid bolus. The amplitude and area under the curve of contractions were higher with swallows of the solid bolus than with swallows of the liquid bolus. The difference was more evident in swallows with no perception of transit (n = 12) than in swallows with perception (n = 10). The total bolus transit time was longer for the solid bolus than for the liquid bolus only with swallows followed by no perception of transit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the perception of esophageal transit may be the consequence of inadequate adaptation of esophageal transit and contraction to the characteristics of the swallowed bolus.
authors: Department of Medicine, Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors: Juciléia
authors: J
authors: Dalmazo
authors: Lilian Rose Otoboni
authors: LR
authors: Aprile
authors: Roberto Oliveira
authors: RO
authors: Dantas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult