Age-related impairment of esophagogastric junction relaxation and bolus flow time

Table 1 Characteristics of control and asymptomatic older subjects n (%)

	Control	Older	P value
Number (M/F)	30 (11/19)	15 (9/6)	0.14
Age ± SD (range)	37 ± 11 (21-58) yr	85 ± 4 (80-93) yr	< 0.001
EGJ subtype			0.69
I	18 (60)	9 (60)
II	9 (30)	3 (20)
IIIa	1 (3)	1 (7)
IIIb	2 (7)	2 (13)
Proximal margin EGJ (cm)	43 ± 0.6	45 ± 1	0.06
Overall length EGJ1 (cm)	3.2 ± 0.2	3.4 ± 0.3	0.34

¹EGJ Type III were excluded from calculation of total length. EGJ: Esophagogastric junction.

Table 2 Esophagogastric junction metrics during swallowing

	Liquid swallows			Viscous swallows
	Control	Older	P value	Control	Older	P value
IRP4 (mmHg)	5.9 ± 1.0	11.9 ± 2.3	0.02	7.3 ± 0.8	14.3 ± 2.4	0.02
GasP (mmHg)	2.2 ± 1.5	9.4 ± 1.6	0.002	4.1 ± 1.6	11.2 ± 1.7	0.005
BPT (s)	5.5 ± 1.0	3.9 ± 0.5	0.01	4.5 ± 0.2	4.3 ± 0.5	0.19
BFT (s)	3.8 ± 0.2	1.7 ± 0.3	< 0.001	3.8 ± 0.2	1.9 ± 0.3	< 0.001

BFT: Bolus flow time; BPT: Bolus presence time.