What is normal oesophageal motility? An ambulatory study.

BACKGROUND

Our aim was to establish normal values for wave characteristics and patterns in long-term ambulatory oesophageal body motility.

METHODS

A pressure sensor was positioned in the pharynx or cricopharyngeus for swallow detection. Oesophageal body pressures were recorded 5, 10, and 15 cm above the lower oesophageal sphincter. Contraction patterns and wave characteristics from eating, drinking, and postprandial, fasting, and supine periods in 16 healthy subjects were studied.

RESULTS

Contraction patterns were similar during eating and drinking periods or fasting and postprandial periods (P > 0.05). Wave characteristics during each period differed significantly in amplitude, duration, area under the curve, or peristaltic velocity (P < 0.05). During the eating period the amplitude and area under the curve were greatest, and peristaltic velocity was slowest compared with all other periods.

CONCLUSIONS

Data from the eating and drinking periods or the fasting and postprandial periods can be combined for contraction pattern analysis but not for wave characteristic analysis, for which data from different periods should be analysed separately.