Baseline patient characteristics in the two patient groups
| Normal (n=71) | IEM (n=43) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mean age (range) | 52 (18–83) | 57 (29–86) |
| Male:female | 39:32 | 26:17 |
| Symptom duration (months;±SEM) | 44±6 | 57±8 |
| Endoscopy (%) | ||
| Normal | 53 (75) | 29 (67) |
| Erosive reflux disease | 13 (18) | 8 (19) |
| Barrett's oesophagus | 4 (6) | 5 (12) |
| Eosinophilic oesophagitis | 1 (1) | 1 (2) |
| Sliding hiatal hernia | 22 (31) | 12 (28) |
| Mean hiatal length (cm±SEM) | 0.7±0.2 | 0.9±0.2 |
| Oesophageal biopsy (%) | ||
| Normal | 38 (55) | 25 (58) |
| Inflammation | 25 (36) | 12 (28) |
| Barrett's oesophagus | 6 (8) | 5 (13) |
| Eosinophilic oesophagitis | 1 (1) | 1 (1) |
IEM, ineffective oesophageal motility.