[Esophageal manometry in patients with non cardiac chest pain]

Non cardiac chest pain can be caused by esophageal problems such as gastroesophageal reflux or smooth muscle motor disorders.

To perform esophageal manometry in patients with non cardiac chest pain.

One hundred patients with chest pain in whom coronary problems were discarded, were studied. A computerized esophageal manometry was performed in all and 24 hours esophageal pH measurement was done in 21 patients.

Esophageal manometry was normal in eight patients. Nutcracker esophagus was the most common finding, in 36 patients. Twenty eight had a hypotensive sphincter, 16 had unspecific motor disorders, nine had diffuse esophageal spasm, two had a non achalasic esophageal aperistalsis and one had a hypertensive sphincter.

Only eight of 100 patients referred to esophageal manometry for non cardiac chest pain, had a normal study.