Minimum sample frequency for multichannel intraluminal impedance measurement of the oesophagus

In all systems for impedance monitoring signals are stored in digital format after analog-to-digital conversion at a predefined rate, the sample frequency. We aimed to find the minimum sample frequency required to evaluate oesophageal transit and gastro-oesophageal reflux studies using impedance monitoring. In 10 healthy subjects and five patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease impedance signals were acquired during a 90-min postprandial period, using a sample frequency of 1000 Hz. Additionally, 10 liquid swallows were recorded in the healthy subjects. A dedicated computer program was used to derive, from the original 1000-Hz files, series of new data files with sample frequencies of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 8, 5 and 4 Hz. In all of these files, liquid and gas reflux events were identified. In the analysis of the swallows, bolus head advance time (BHAT) and total bolus transit time were measured. Reflux events were detectable down to a sample frequency of 50 Hz. In transit analysis errors for BHAT at frequencies below 8 Hz errors exceeded 2.5%. Therefore, in impedance monitoring the minimum sample frequency is 50 Hz for the detection of reflux and 8 Hz for the evaluation of oesophageal transit.