[Clinico-manometric correlation in esophageal involvement of progressive systemic sclerosis]

The esophageal response studied in the systemic illness has been developed clearly in the body of the esophagus as well as in the lower esophageal sphincter, showing important alterations in the peristalsis and a significant fall of lower esophageal sphincter pressure, proving conditions such as those in which gastro-esophageal reflux is produced. The authors studied the esophageal motility in 10 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis by electromanometry by means of an open-tipped catheters system. They found that the pressure of the inferior esophageal sphincter was altered in the 100 per cent of the cases; in 50% of the patients there was a lack of peristaltic waves and in the remaining 50% the middle pressure was less than in normal subjects. It was observed dysquinethic waves in 40% of the cases. The intensity of the epidermic compromise is no related with alterations in the esophageal functioning.