High-Resolution vs. Conventional Esophageal Manometry for Diagnosing Noncardiac Chest Pain

Although both tests most frequently showed no esophageal dysmotility, frequency distributions of specific motor disorders differed between them.

The 2013 national guideline on management of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) recommends that patients with noncardiac chest pain receive diagnostic testing before empiric therapy (typically with a proton-pump inhibitor). Prior reports of diagnostic testing using conventional esophageal manometry (CEM) cite a high prevalence of esophageal dysmotility — primarily nutcracker esophagus, followed by nonspecific esophageal motility disturbance. High-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM) has become a preferred approach in assessing esophageal dysmotility in many centers, but its comparative benefit over CEM in this setting is unclear.

In the current study, researchers compared outcomes in 300 consecutive patients, 150 undergoing CEM and 150…

Reviewing Author

David A. Johnson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory boardMedscape/WebMD; Pfizer; CRH Medical Corporation; Aries

EquityCRH Medical Corporation

Editorial boardsMedscape Gastroenterology

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Gastroenterology Research Institute Board of Directors