The motility of esophageal sphincters during liquid and solid bolus swallows: a multicenter normative value study of high-resolution manometry in China

BackgroundIt is gradually accepted that solid bolus swallow needs to be added to the procedure of manometry. The motility differences in the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) were not well described. Sierra Scientific Instruments solid-state high-resolution manometry (HRM) system, the most popular HRM system in China, lacks the Chinese normative values for both liquid and solid bolus swallow parameters. MethodsThe esophageal HRM data of 88 healthy volunteers were analyzed. The parameters of both sphincters in resting stage were summarized and those during solid and liquid swallows were compared. Key ResultsNormative HRM values of sphincter parameters in solid and liquid bolus swallows in China were established. The UES residual pressure of solid bolus swallows was lower than that of liquid bolus (0.35.5mm Hg vs 4.8 +/- 5.9mm Hg, P=.000). The time parameters of UES relaxation between two types of bolus swallows were similar. In solid bolus swallows, the intrabolus pressure (IBP) (13.8 +/- 5.1mm Hg vs 10.9 +/- 5.7mm Hg, P=.000) and LES relaxation time (11.0 +/- 2.1seconds vs 8.7 +/- 1.3seconds, P=.000) were higher. The 4-second integrated relaxation pressure between both bolus swallows was similar. Conclusions & InferencesThe function of the UES and LES between solid and liquid bolus swallows is different. Chinese HRM parameters are different from the Chicago Classification (, Number ChiCTR-EOC-15007147).