Manometric studies of the esophagus in healthy subjects of different age groups

Oesophageal manometry was performed under standardized conditions in 100 healthy persons of different ages (54 males, 46 females; mean age 43.1 [18-84] years). They were grouped by age in decades (< or = 29 years: n = 23; 30-39 years: n = 18; 40-49 years: n = 19; 50-59 years; n = 20; and > or = 60 years: n = 20). The mean resting pressures at the lower oesophageal sphincter ranged among the different age groups from 18-22 mm Hg (total group 19 +/- 7 mm Hg), the mean contraction force at the distal tubular oesophagus ranged from 77-100 mm Hg (84 +/- 35 mm Hg), in the proximal tubular oesophagus from 53-58 mm Hg (56 +/- 22 mm Hg), and the resting pressures at the upper oesophageal sphincter from 34-45 mm Hg (37 +/- 17 mm Hg). There was no statistically significant difference between the various age groups for any of the motility parameters. It is concluded that age does not influence the findings in comparative studies of healthy persons and patients of differing ages.