Clinical features and long-term survival in chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction and enteric dysmotility

Objective. Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP) is the most severe form of intestinal dysmotility. Enteric dysmotility (ED) has been proposed as a new diagnostic label for patients with disturbed intestinal motility and severe symptoms but no radiological signs of pseudo-obstruction. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical features, small-bowel manometry findings and long-term survival in patients with CIP and ED. Material and methods. Data collected during a 16-year period from 1987 to 2002 were retrospectively analysed and followed-up through 2007 in a tertiary referral centre. The study comprised 55 patients (41 F, median age 42 years, range 23-76) with CIP and 70 patients (63 F, median age 39 years, range 18-71) with ED. Results. The median observation time was 9.9 years (range 5.2-20.1). Nineteen patients with CIP (35%) and 9 patients with ED (13%) died. Survival among patients with ED was significantly better (p