Endoscopic carbon dioxide insufflation tolerance test on the anal sphincter for anorectal hypofunction: a pilot and feasibility study

Anorectal function deteriorates with age. The diagnostic performance of the endoscopic pressure study integrated system (EPSIS), an endoscopic carbon dioxide (CO ) insufflation stress test of the lower esophageal sphincter has been previously evaluated as a diagnostic tool for gastroesophageal reflux disease. We aimed to evaluate the applicability of EPSIS in improving anorectal function. We hypothesized that EPSIS can be applied to the diagnosis of lower gastrointestinal tract disorders. This was a pilot, single-center, retrospective study using prospectively collected data between December 2021 and March 2022. It was designed to evaluate the differences in EPSIS rectal pressure measurements between older (≥80 years) and younger (