Exploratory Research on Latent Esophageal Motility Disorders in Dysphagia Patients

Digestion. 2017;95(4):269-274. doi: 10.1159/000470901. Epub 2017 Apr 11.

Abstract

Background/aims: High-resolution manometry (HRM) has been applied to assess esophageal motility disorders. However, the frequency and types of motility disorders in patients with dysphagia, which are frequently seen in clinical practice, are not clear. We evaluated latent esophageal motility disorders associated with dysphagia.

Methods: The study included patients without erosive esophageal mucosal damage and with dysphagia symptoms refractory to at least 8 weeks of standard-dose proton pump inhibitors. After enrolment, HRM was used to evaluate for esophageal motility disorder based on the Chicago classification.

Results: Esophageal motility disorder was found in 58 of 100 patients and was classified based on the causes: achalasia (13%), esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (16%), distal esophageal spasms (3%), weak peristalsis (14%), frequently failed peristalsis (5%), and hypertensive peristalsis (7%).

Conclusion: Primary esophageal motility disorder was found in approximately 50% of cases in dysphagia patients. Therefore, esophageal motility disorder is not an uncommon condition and should be sought for in order to elucidate precisely the cause of dysphagia.

Keywords: Frequency scale for the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease; High-resolution manometry; Non-erosive reflux disease; Proton pump inhibitor resistance.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Esophageal Motility Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Esophageal Motility Disorders / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Manometry
  • Middle Aged