Association of autonomic nervous dysfunction and esophageal dysmotility in systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE

The primary event in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) has been hypothesized to be an early neural lesion. We investigated the association of autonomic nervous dysfunction and esophageal involvement in SSc.

METHODS

Thirty-six consecutive patients with SSc were investigated by esophageal manometry and autonomic nervous function tests for cardiovascular and pupillary autonomic dysfunction.

RESULTS

In 27 of 36 patients, esophageal manometry showed esophageal dysfunction. Twelve patients had either pupillary (n = 6) or cardiovascular (n = 5) dysfunction or both (n = 1). All patients with autonomic dysfunction had esophageal dysfunction. Patients with autonomic dysfunction had significantly reduced mean distal esophageal contraction amplitudes compared to patients without autonomic nervous dysfunction (p < 0.05). The association of autonomic dysfunction and esophageal dysfunction was significant (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Our results support the concept of a role for neurogenic defects in the development of esophageal dysfunction in SSc.