Comparison of methods for recording esophageal sphincter pressures in Chagas' disease

We measured the lower (LES) and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) pressure in 22 Chagas' disease patients with dysphagia and abnormal radiologic esophageal examination, and in 12 normal volunteers. We compared the station pull-through (SPT) and rapid-through (RPT) techniques of sphincter pressure measurement, using an infused round catheter 5 mm in outer diameter, and with four side orifices at the same level. The LES pressure was higher when measured by RPT than by SPT and at inspiration than expiration (P/0.05). In Chagas' disease patients, LES pressure was lower than in volunteers, with significance when measured by RPT at expiration (P/0.05). In normal volunteers, but not in patients, the UES pressure was higher when measured by RPT at expiration than when measured by SPT. When measured by RPT the UES pressure of Chagas' disease patients was lower than in volunteers. In conclusion, LES pressure was higher when measured at inspiration and by the RPT technique. There was a considerable overlap of LES individual pressures between patients and volunteers, but the pressure was lower in patients when we used RPT at expiration. In normal volunteers the RPT technique recorded higher UES pressures than the SPT, and higher pressures than in Chagas' disease patients.