Pharyngoesophageal Motility in Patients with Globus Sensation

Lee, Jung Whan; Song, Chi Wook; Kang, Chang Don; Hur, Byung Won; Jeen, Yoon Tae; Jeon, Hoon Jai; Lee, Hong Sik; Lee, Sang Woo; Um, Soon Ho; Choi, Jai Hyun; Kim, Chang Duck; Ryu, Ho Sang; Hyun, Jin Hai

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
It has been considered that motor abnormalities of the oropharynx might play some roles in the pathogenesis of globus sensation. This study was aimed to evaluate motor abnormality of the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) and pharynx.
METHODS
Fifty-three patients with globus sensation in throat and twenty healthy subjects underwent a circumferential solid state manometry. The measured manometric parameters were as follows : basal UES pressure, % UES relaxation, timing of UES relaxation (T1, time interval from the onset of hypopharyngeal contraction to the onset of UES relaxation; T2, time interval from the onset to the completion of UES relaxation), contracting tongue base pressure, contracting hypopharyngeal pressure, intrabolus pressure area (IBPA), prevalence of peristalsis (POP), amplitude of distal esophageal contraction, and basal LES pressure. Then, differences of these parameters in both groups were analysed.
RESULTS
The mean values of T2 and IBPA were high and POP was decreased in the patients group. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between T2 and IBPA.
CONCLUSIONS
Globus sensation might be associated with a prolonged time interval from the onset to completion of UES relaxation, an increased IBPA, and a decreased POP of the esophageal body.