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Are Manometric Parameters of the Upper Esophageal Sphincter and Pharynx Affected by Age and Gender?

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Abstract

The effects of age and gender on the upper esophageal sphincter’s (UES) and pharyngeal manometric parameters were investigated in 84 healthy subjects (45 men, 39 women, mean age=44 years, range = 18–91). Manometric recordings were performed with solid-state circumferential transducers. Subjects older than 60 years (n = 23) showed a significant lower UES resting pressure. In addition, during water swallows they had a higher UES residual pressure, shorter UES relaxation interval and UES relaxation duration, and a decreased UES relaxation rate. Furthermore, pharyngeal contraction had significant higher amplitude and longer duration in subjects older than 60 years during water swallows. Some of these findings were also observed during cookie and pudding swallows. Women had a higher UES resting pressure and a longer UES relaxation interval than men. The observed changes with increasing age indicate loss of basal tone and decreased compliance of the UES. Increased pharyngeal contraction amplitude and its prolonged duration in the elderly might be compensatory to this. These physiologic effects of age and gender on UES and pharyngeal parameters should be taken into account during analysis of manometric studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gastrointestinal Research Unit, Departments of Gastroenterology and Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Margot A. van Herwaarden MD PhD

  2. Department of Medicine, The Graduate Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Phil O. Katz MD, R. Matthew Gideon MD, Jeff Barrett MD, June A. Castell MD & Donald O. Castell MD

  3. Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA

    S. Achem MD

Authors
  1. Margot A. van Herwaarden MD PhD
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  2. Phil O. Katz MD
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  3. R. Matthew Gideon MD
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  4. Jeff Barrett MD
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  5. June A. Castell MD
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  6. S. Achem MD
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  7. Donald O. Castell MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Margot A. van Herwaarden MD PhD.

Additional information

The first author was financially supported by the Netherlands Digestive and Disease Foundation and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).

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van Herwaarden, M.A., Katz, P.O., Matthew Gideon, R. et al. Are Manometric Parameters of the Upper Esophageal Sphincter and Pharynx Affected by Age and Gender? . Dysphagia 18, 211–217 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-002-0099-7

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