Response of the esophageal body to wet and dry swallows in Chagas' disease.

BACKGROUND Wet swallows cause a greater esophageal contraction amplitude and duration than dry swallows. In Chagas' disease there is a reduction in amplitude of esophageal contraction but we do not know if the difference between wet and dry swallows is seen in the disease. AIM To compare the esophageal contractions after wet and dry swallows in patients with Chagas' disease. METHODS We measured the area under the curve (amplitude x duration) of the esophageal contractions in 30 patients with a diagnosis of esophageal involvement by Chagas' disease and 44 controls. We used the manometric method with continuous perfusion. The contractions were measured at 2, 7, 12 and 17 cm below the upper esophageal sphincter, after five swallows of a 5 mL bolus of water alternated with five dry swallows. RESULTS In the control group wet swallows caused a higher area under the curve than dry swallows. There was no difference between wet and dry swallows in Chagas' disease patients, and there was no difference in wet and dry swallows in Chagas' disease patients compared with dry swallows of controls. At 12 and 17 cm from the upper esophageal sphincter the area under the curve after wet and dry swallows in Chagas' disease patients younger than 60 years (n = 15) was higher than in Chagas' disease patients older than 60 years (n = 15). CONCLUSION We conclude that in normal subjects there is adaptation to the presence of a liquid bolus inside the esophageal body, which does not happen in patients with Chagas' disease.