[Effect of isosorbide dinitrate on the lower esophageal sphincter pressure in patients with Chagas' disease]

The effect of 5 mg of sublingual isosorbide dinitrate on the lower esophageal sphincter pressure of 28 chagasic patients with esophageal involvement, was studied by continuous perfusion manometry. The pressure was measured at 5 minute intervals for 60 minutes after drug administration. Isosorbide dinitrate reduced sphincter pressure from 5 to 60 minutes (p less than 0.01). Only two patients hadn't sphincter pressure reduced lower than 50% of initial value at 20 minutes after drug administration. These results indicate that isosorbide dinitrate may be useful to reduce lower esophageal sphincter pressure in chagasic megaesophagus.