Is Non-Cardiac Chest Pain Caused by Sustained Longitudinal Smooth Muscle Contraction?

Queen's University

Status

Completed

Conditions

Chest Pain Atypical Syndrome

Treatments

Other: Esophageal Manometry

Study type

Observational

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT01839058

DMED-1559-13

Details and patient eligibility

About

Non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) is a common disorder whose pathophysiology is poorly understood. Some evidence suggests it may be related to sustained esophageal contractions (SECs) of longitudinal smooth muscle. The investigators have previously shown that acid is a trigger for SECs and results in shortening of the esophagus. In this study, the investigators plan to prospectively evaluate esophageal shortening responses to acid in a group of patients with NCCP compared to controls. The investigators will use high resolution esophageal manometry coupled with acid infusion to evaluate shortening. The investigators hypothesize that at least a subset of patients with NCCP will have an exaggerated esophageal shortening response to acid which correlates with symptom production. If our hypothesis proves true, this may lead to a future therapeutic target in the treatment of these patients.

Enrollment

40 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 75 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Healthy volunteers:
free of esophageal symptoms
not on any acid suppressing medications
Non Cardiac Chest Pain Patients:
Angina like chest pain occuring at least once per month
Coronary artery disease ruled out by stress test or angiogram

Exclusion criteria

pre existing motility disorder of the esophagus
connective tissue disease
pregnancy
taking calcium channel blockers, Nitrates, Gabapentin, Narcotics, Tricyclic antidepressants, Anti seizure medications