OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between esophageal function and the extent of disease in a nonselected group of @entity2631 @entity1 , and to study gastric and small bowel motility in a group of @entity2631 @entity1 with more severe clinical manifestations. METHODS: Esophageal function in 125 @entity2631 @entity1 was investigated by radiologic, endoscopic, manometric, and pH-metric techniques. Ten @entity1 also underwent gastrointestinal (GI) manometric recording, both during fasting and after a standard meal. RESULTS: Radiologic abnormalities of the esophagus were found in 55 of 81 @entity1 (68%) and @entity2910 in 45 of 125 (36%). No significant relationship was disclosed between GI symptoms, @entity854 , @entity2910 grade, and the various disease subsets. However, the overall incidence of endoscopic @entity2910 (irrespective of the degree) was significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with the @entity1 subgroups, with 100% incidence of @entity2910 in those having the more severe cutaneous involvement (type III). @entity854 were documented in 80% of @entity1 , and pathologic reflux in 78%. The severity of @entity1208 on manometry significantly correlated with the severity of the disease, whereas no correlations were found with pH-metric data. Ninety percent of the 10 female @entity1 undergoing antroduodenal manometry displayed abnormal findings; of these, 60% showed neuropathic, and 30% myopathic, patterns. The latter were recorded in @entity1 with a more severe stage of the disease (type III). CONCLUSION: A direct relationship was observed between @entity2631 subsets and the severity of esophageal (and, probably, more distal gut) motor involvement. Since no correlation was found between esophageal symptoms and the severity of @entity854 , manometry should be considered the single most important GI test to document the severity of the "esophageal" disease. Gastric and small bowel manometry may also offer evidence of widespread gut involvement, and provide a rationale for a more targeted therapeutic approach.

XXXX in @entity2631 : relationship with disease subsets.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity2910 :: ('MESH:D004941', 'Disease') :: ['esophagitis'] @entity2631 :: ('MESH:D012594', 'Disease') :: ['scleroderma'] @entity854 :: ('MESH:D018376', 'Disease') :: ['manometric abnormalities', 'Manometric abnormalities', 'radiologic abnormalities'] @entity1208 :: ('MESH:D004935', 'Disease') :: ['esophageal abnormalities']
@entity1208 :: (MESH:D004935,Disease) :: ['Esophageal dysfunction']
