Oesophageal Motility in Connective Tissue Disease

Gastrointestinal Manifestations of Collagen Diseases

“…Among the collagen diseases, this type of pharyngoesophageal motor dis order seems to be rather specific to myositis. Other motor disorders affecting the smooth muscle area of the esophagus can also be observed during myositis [3,4,12,51]. The abnormalities are the same as those observed during PSS, e.g.…”

“…This percentage was inde pendent of (1) presence or absence of esoph ageal symptoms; (2) duration and evolution of the collagen disease and (3) corticoid treatment. Different types of pathological manometric patterns are possible, such as a decrease in the amplitude and an alteration of the peristalsis of contractions in the lower two thirds of the esophagus [4,18,51,62,63], the upper third [62], or along the entire length of the esophagus [62,63]. A good cor relation between the existence of RP and aperistalsis was found in two studies [18,63].…”

“…When present, it is evident mainly from EMD, which are found in 20% of patients [3,4,12,18,50,51], Clinically, patients suffer from a swallowing dysfunction accompanied now and then by tracheal overflow and nasal regurgitation of liquid [12], These degluti tive disorders are observed in cineradiog raphy by a barium reflux in the pharynx, a tracheal flooding by the contrast agent and a delay in pharyngeal emptying [12], Pharyn goesophageal manometric data confirm the damage to the striated musculature, as shown by a decrease in the amplitude of pha ryngeal contractions and in the pressure of the upper esophageal sphincter and also by an alteration in the peristalsis of the proxi mal esophagus [12]. Abnormalities of pha ryngoesophageal motility are observed in 20% of patients, independently of age, dura tion of the illness and presence of an RP.…”

“…Finally, EMD were observed in a number of studies [4,18,51,62,63], These EMD may be present in up to 50% of cases [63], In a prospective study on 50 patients, RamirezMata et al [62] noted manometric abnor malities in 32%. This percentage was inde pendent of (1) presence or absence of esoph ageal symptoms; (2) duration and evolution of the collagen disease and (3) corticoid treatment.…”

“…decrease in the basal pres sure of the LES and esophageal aperistalsis. They can be isolated [12,51] or associated with a dysfunction of the pharynx, and/or the proximal esophagus [3], or with a delay in the gastric emptying [52]. These motor disorders probably indicate the presence of pathological aspects similar to PSS.…”