Esophageal motility studies in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon

Esophageal motility was assessed in 40 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon by barium cineesophagram and radionuclide transit. Nineteen were further evaluated by esophageal manometry. Barium cineesophagram and radionuclide transit findings were discordant in 33%. A 20% intraobserver reading variation in barium cineesophagrams was noted. Results of esophageal manometry correlated with radionuclide transit (p = 0.06) but not with barium cineesophagram. Radionuclide transit studies appear useful in the evaluation of esophageal dysfunction in early connective tissue disease.