Comparing 3-hour pH monitoring in esophagus with 24-hour pH monitoring to diagnose GERD.

摘要

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ambulatory pH monitoring is an invasive method and it would bring some discomfort for patients to wear the probe for prolonged periods. A short time pH monitoring may be more acceptable with high compliance. Our aim is to determine whether analyzing a 3-hour (prandial and postprandial) period from an ambulatory 24-hour pH monitoring in esophagus would be as sensitive as the routine test. METHODOLOGY: Patients had been called for esophageal manometry and ambulatory 24-hour pH monitoring. 3-hour data were analyzed from the standard ambulatory 24-hour pH recording. GERD was confirmed if pH was less than 4.0 for more than 4% of 24 hours, the data were then reanalyzed by determining the percent time of pH < 4.0 during a 3-hour period. Kappa test and Mc-nemar test were used in the study. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-one patients met the entrance criterion. The 3-hour test had a sensitivity of 86% when compared to the 24-hour test and a specificity of 84%. Kappa test and Mc-nemar test verified the two monitor periods were considerable consistency. CONCLUSION: 3-hour analysis is sensitive and specific test for demonstrating GERD. By using this test, patients can suffer less discomfort and appear enhanced compliance.