Characteristics of upper oesophageal sphincter and oesophageal body during maturation in healthy human neonates compared with adults

We evaluated the upper oesophageal sphincter (UOS) relationship with oesophageal body during primary peristalsis (PP) sequences in healthy human neonates during maturation and compared with that of healthy adult volunteers. Forty-nine studies were performed using a water perfusion manometry system and a specially designed oesophageal catheter with a UOS sleeve concurrent with submental electromyogram in 31 subjects in supine position (18 preterm neonates, 29.9 +/- 2.5 weeks gestation; four full-term neonates, 39.3 +/- 1.0 weeks gestation; and nine adults, 18-65 years). The preterm neonates were studied longitudinally at 33 and 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) and full-term born at 40 weeks PMA. Data were compared between the groups to recognize the effects of gestation, postnatal age and ageing. We evaluated 403 consecutive spontaneous solitary swallows during maturation (preterm at time-1 vs time-2) and growth (preterm and full-term vs adults) and observed significant (P < 0.05) differences in the basal UOS resting pressure, UOS relaxation characteristics, proximal and distal oesophageal body amplitude, duration, propagation and peristaltic velocity. Characteristics of UOS and PP are well-developed by 33 weeks PMA and undergo further maturation during the postnatal period, and are significantly different from that of adult.