Esophageal motility patterns in patients with and without coronary heart disease and healthy controls

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of the study was to evaluate esophageal motility p atterns in patients with chest pain with and without coronary artery diseas e, in order to elucidate the question: Does "non-cardiac" chest pain really exist? METHODOLOGY: Patients with chest pain and normal coronary angiograms, patie nts with chest pain and coronarographically diagnosed coronary artery disea se and controls were prospectively studied with long-term manometry. RESULTS: The pressure amplitudes were 38.3(1)NCA)/39.82(CAD) and 30(1,2)(CG ) mmHg ((1)p<0.02, (2)p<0.02) distally and 30(3)/28.1 and 25.5(3) mmHg ((3) p<0.02) proximally. The percentage of propulsive contractions were 51.5%/45 %(1) and 53.5%(1) ((2)p<0.05) and of simultaneous contractions were 18.5%(2 )/23%(3) and 10%(2,3) ((2)p<0.0005, (3)p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Esophageal motility patterns of patients with chest pain and n ormal coronary angiograms and coronary artery disease differ significantly from controls. Both patient groups show a considerable overlap in motility disturbances. These data indicate that the term "non-cardiac" chest pain in fact does not sufficiently characterize patients' status.