Esophageal manometry in patients with non cardiac chest pain

Background: Non cardiac chest pain can be caused by esophageal problems such as gastroesophageal reflux or smooth muscle motor disorders. Aim: To perform esophageal manometry in patients with non cardiac chest pain. Material and methods: One hundred patients with chest pain in whom coronary problems were discarded, were studied. A computerized esophageal manometry was performed in all and 24 hours esophageal pH measurement was done in 21 patients. Results: Esophageal manometry was normal in eight patients. Nutcracker esophagus was the most common finding, in 36 patients. Twenty eight had a hypotensive sphincter, 16 had unspecific motor disorders, nine had diffuse esophageal spasm, two had a non achalasic esophageal aperistalsis and one had a hypertensive sphincter. Conclusions: Only eight of 100 patients referred to esophageal manometry for non cardiac chest pain, had a normal study