Oesophageal motor function and outcome of treatment with H2‐blockers in erosive oesophagitis

We studied the oesophageal motor function in 19 patients with reflux oesophagitis before and after 3–6 months of treatment with high-dose H2-receptor antagonists to compare the results in healed vs unhealed patients. At the end of treatment, the frequency of transient lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) relaxations unassociated with a peristaltic sequence was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the healed group in fed conditions compared both with its baseline and with the unhealed one. The frequency of primary peristalsis was significantly increased (P < 0.01) particularly in the healed group (P < 0.05). On the other hand, failed peristalsis decreased significantly (P < 0.05) after treatment in the healed patients in fasting conditions. Our data suggest that oesophageal dysmotility observed in those patients who do not heal with high-dose H2-receptor antagonists, may be due to either the persistence of the mucosal lesions or to the presence of a primary motor disorder, whereas in those who heal, these abnormalities may represent a consequence of the oesophageal mucosal lesions.