Evidence of abnormal esophageal motility in syndrome X by radionuclide esophageal transit test

In 30 patients with syndrome X, esophageal motility was evaluated by radion uclide esophageal transit test (RETT). Esophageal motility measurements inc luded esophageal mean transit time (MTT), residual fraction (RF), and retro grade index (RI). In comparison with 25 age- and sex-matched healthy volunt eers, 66% of the patients with syndrome X had abnormal RETT findings includ ing 50% of cases with longer MTT, 50% of cases with higher RF, and 33% of c ases with higher RI. In addition, the mean values of MTT, RF, and RI in pat ients with syndrome X were significantly higher than those of healthy volun teers. We conclude that abnormal esophageal motility occurred in a large po rtion of syndrome X patients based on an simple and noninvasive RETT. Copyr ight (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.