High-resolution manometry assessment of the lower esophageal sphincter after-contraction: Normative values and clinical correlation.

BACKGROUND: The Chicago Classification v3.0 proposed extending the distal contractile integral (DCI) measurement domain to include the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to enhance the detection of esophageal hypercontractility. However, normative and clinical data for this approach are unreported. We aimed to describe the application of an extended DCI measurement in asymptomatic controls and patients.

METHODS: High-resolution manometry (HRM) of 65 asymptomatic controls and 72 patients with normal motility were evaluated retrospectively. Dysphagia and chest pain symptoms were assessed using the brief esophageal dysphagia questionnaire (BEDQ); ≥10 was considered abnormal. HRM studies of 10 supine swallows were evaluated via the standard DCI and an extended DCI measurement domain (DCI+) to include the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) during and after the peristaltic wave. The DCI-increment was calculated as the DCI+ minus DCI.

KEY RESULTS: Among controls, the median (5-95th percentile) DCI+ was 1915 (1359-6921) mm Hg/cm/s and DCI-increment was 534 (126-1488) mm Hg/cm/s. Two patients (3%) had ≥2 swallows with DCI+ >8000 mm Hg/cm/s and seven (10%) patients had at least one swallow with DCI+ >8000 mm Hg/cm/s, ie, had potential motility reclassification by application of DCI+. Seven of these nine patients (78%) were evaluated for dysphagia or chest pain, but only 3/9 (33%) had an abnormal BEDQ.

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: Extension of the DCI measurement domain may aid quantifying hypercontractility that involves the LES. However, adjusting management strategies based on reclassification of patients with otherwise normal motility should be cautiously considered.