How useful is esophageal high resolution manometry in diagnosing gastroesophageal junction disruption: causes affecting this disruption and its relationship with manometric alterations and gastroesophageal reflux.

BACKGROUND: High-resolution manometry (HRM) is a breakthrough in the morphological study of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) and its degrees of disruption. OBJECTIVES: a) Assessment of risk factors involved in the disruption of the GEJ in patients with gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms; b) the relationship between the type of GEJ and GER demonstrated by 24 hours pH-monitoring; and c) identification of the alterations in the manometric parameters related to the morphology of the GEJ. METHODS: One hundred and fifteen patients with symptoms of GER studied with HRM and classified by the type of GEJ (type I: Normal; type II: Sliding; type III: Hiatal hernia). Twenty four hour pH-monitoring without proton pump inhibitors was performed in all of them. Epidemiological aspects, manometric parameters (Chicago 2012 classification) and the pH-monitoring results were evaluated. RESULTS: Age (OR 1.033 [1.006-1.060]; p = 0.16), BMI (OR 1.097 [1.022-1.176]; p = 0. 01) and abdominal perimeter (OR 1.034 [1.005-1.063]; p = 0.0215) were independent risk factors for the GEJ type III (area under the curve 0.70). Disruption of the GEJ was associated with a lower resting pressure (p = 0.006), greater length (p < 0.001) and greater esophageal shortening (p < 0.001). Abnormal acidic reflux was found in the total period (p = 0.015), standing (p = 0.022) and supine (p = 0.001) in patients with GEJ type II and III with respect to type I. CONCLUSIONS: Increased age, overweight and central obesity pose a higher risk of GEJ type III (hiatal hernia). The greater disruption of the GEJ is associated with lower resting pressure, esophageal shortening, and higher acid exposure in the pH-monitoring.