GASTRIC MYOELECTRICAL AND ANTRODUODENAL MOTOR-ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH ACHALASIA

Achalasia is a primary motor disorder of the oesophagus, in which the myenteric plexus is involved. However, abnormalities in other parts of the digestive tract have also been described in achalasia. Whether ga stric myoelectrical and duodenal motor activity in these patients is a lso affected is unknown. Therefore, interdigestive and postprandial ga stric myoelectrical and antroduodenal motel activity were studied in 1 1 patients with achalasia, using electrogastrography (EGG) and station ary antroduodenal manometry. Electrogastrographically, no differences were found in the gastric frequency, incidence of dysrhythmias and pos tprandial/fasting power ratio. In the interdigestive state a lower pro pagation velocity of phase iii episodes was found in the achalasia pat ients, but other parameters were unaltered. Postprandially, no differe nces were found in the number of pressure waves, in the amplitude of p ressure waves or in antroduodenal coordination. We conclude that gastr ic myoelectrical activity and antral motor activity in patients with a chalasia is normal, suggesting an intact extrinsic and intrinsic neura l innervation of the distal stomach. Although postprandial duodenal mo tility is normal, a lower propagation velocity of phase iii suggests i nvolvement of the small intestine in achalasia.