Frequency content of esophageal peristaltic pressure.

Fourier analysis of esophageal peristaltic pressure waves was performed by computer fast Fourier transform. The highest power spectral density was obtained in the frequency range below 1 Hz. The Fourier analysis showed spectral components up to about 12 Hz in the upper esophageal sphincter (UES). The significance of different frequency components was investigated by low-pass filtering at different cut-off frequencies. A reduction in the amplitude of UES contractions was obtained at a cut-off frequency of 4 Hz, whereas the cut-off frequency of 8 Hz did not show any distortion. For perfused manometry systems, only a low-compliance perfusion pump will have sufficient bandwidth for accurate recording of esophageal peristaltic pressures.