Abstract
Background/Aims: Ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) is the most common esophageal motility disorder. Reflux is common in patients with IEM. The relationship between IEM and gastroesophageal reflux disease is not fully understood. The current study evaluated the associations between clinical, endoscopic, and manometric characteristics and acid exposure in patients with IEM.
Materials and Methods: The authors prospectively enrolled patients diagnosed with IEM who underwent high-resolution manometry according to the Chicago classification, version 4.0. Patients were classified into pathological and physiological reflux groups based on multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH ( MII-pH) monitoring results. Clinical, endoscopic, manometric, and MII-pH parameters were compared between the 2 groups.
Results: Of the 69 patients, 49 (71%) had pathological reflux and 20 (29%) had physiological reflux. The most frequent symptoms were heartburn, regurgitation, and dysphagia. No significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in demographic, clinical, or endoscopic characteristics. Among the manometric metrics, mean lower esophageal sphincter pressure and esophagogastric junction (EGJ) morphology differed significantly between the 2 groups (P = .017 and P = .046, respectively). All MII‑pH metrics, except weak acid reflux episodes and nonacid reflux episodes, differed significantly between the groups (P <.05).
Conclusion: Acid exposure did not affect symptoms in patients with IEM. In addition to impaired esophageal body contractility, impaired esophageal clearance and EGJ barrier dysfunction may contribute to acid exposure.
Cite this article as: Erdal H, Coşkun Y, Deniz DA, Birsoy B, Üstün Y. Ineffective esophageal motility with and without abnormal acid exposure: Clinical, endoscopic, and manometric features. Turk J Gastroenterol. Published online July 27, 2026. doi: 10.5152/tjg.2026.25627.
Most read articles by the same author(s)
- Muhammed Bahaddin Durak, Yasir Furkan Cagin, Ayhan Balkan, Yusuf Coskun, Tarkan Karakan, Yavuz Cagir, Yavuz Beyazit, Ali Atay, Ali Can Erdem, Guray Can, Engin Altinkaya, Hakan Dursun, Orhan Coskun, Mehmet Rasit Ayte, Mevlut Hamamci, Ilyas Tenlik, Cem Simsek, Abdurrahman Sahin, Huseyin Koseoglu, Mustafa Akar, Kenan Kosar, Bulent Albayrak, Eylem Karatay, Murat Kekilli, Mehmet Asil, Hilmi Ataseven, Mehmet Cindoruk, Ilhami Yuksel, Three-Decade Analysis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Türkiye: A Multicenter Study (1993-2024) , Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology: Vol. 36 No. 12 (2025): Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology
- Mehmet İbiş, Mehmet Arhan, Tuba İbiş, İbrahim Koral Önal, Harun Erdal, Özlem Gül Utku, Lidocaine versus lidocaine plus benzydamine as a topical anesthesia regimen for unsedated upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: A comparison study , Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology: Vol. 26 No. 3 (2015): Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology
- Atilla Bektaş, Harun Erdal, Meltem Ulusoy, I. Tayfun Uzbay, Does Seratonin in the intestines make you happy? , Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology: Vol. 31 No. 10 (2020): Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology
- Harun Erdal, Özlem Gül Utku, Eylem Karatay, Bülent Çelik, Şehri Elbeg, İbrahim Doğan, Combination of DKK1 and AFP improves diagnostic accuracy of hepatocellular carcinoma compared with either marker alone , Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology: Vol. 27 No. 4 (2016): Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology
- Mehmet Arhan, Hülya Yılmaz, İbrahim K. Önal, Murat Kocabıyık, Harun Erdal, Mehmet İbiş, DR-70 as a novel diagnostic biomarker for gastric cancer , Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology: Vol. 26 No. 6 (2015): Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology
- Bülent Çolak, Harun Erdal, Mehmet Arhan, Mehmet İbiş, Selahattin Ünal, A rare cause of massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding; jejunal dieulafoy’s lesion , Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology: Vol. 25 No. 1 (2014): Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.