Measurement and comparison of gastric emptying and esophageal manometry in patients with reflux esophagitis.

Forty-two patients with reflux esophagitis were referred for gastric emptying evaluations. Esophageal manometry was performed on them. Gastric emptying was significantly delayed in patients with reflux esophagitis compared to normal subjects. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) showed no significant difference between patients and controls. Acid clearing test was prolonged in patients with reflux esophagitis more than in normal subjects. The subjects were divided into two groups for gastric emptying evaluations; a group with delayed gastric emptying and one with rapid gastric emptying as compared with normal criteria. LESP in 7 cases of rapid gastric emptying among 42 patients (16.6%) was only significantly lower than in normal subjects. The pathogenesis of reflux esophagitis had been previously thought to be a low LESP and/or a prolonged acid clearing. However, we think that a delayed gastric emptying may be one of the pathogenetic characteristics.