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Updated: Aug 16, 2026
Simultaneous Laryngopharyngeal and Conventional Esophageal pH Monitoring
Published on: December 14, 2020
Ethnicity and gender related differences in extended intraesophageal pH monitoring parameters in infants: a
Dena Nazer1, Ronald Thomas, Vasundhara Tolia
1Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Michigan, 3901 Beaubien Street, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. nazer@wayne.edu
Insights
Caucasian infants show a higher incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) compared to African American infants. Gender differences were not significant for extended pH monitoring parameters in infants with or without GERD.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Infant Health
- Reflux Monitoring
Background:
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is common in adults, with higher prevalence in males and Caucasians.
- Infant GERD prevalence and its relationship with ethnicity and gender require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ethnicity and gender-related differences in extended pH monitoring (EPM) parameters for infants.
- To compare reflux index (RI), episode counts, and prolonged reflux episodes between genders and ethnic groups in infants.
Main Methods:
- Reviewed EPM data from infants under 1 year old.
- Classified infants into control and GERD groups based on a reflux index (RI) of ≥5%.
- Compared EPM parameters (RI, total episodes, prolonged episodes) between Caucasian and African American (AA) infants, stratified by gender.
Main Results:
- No significant gender-based differences in EPM parameters were found.
- Caucasian infants exhibited a significantly higher incidence of GERD than AA infants (p=0.036).
- Caucasian females showed more prolonged reflux episodes (>5 min) than AA females in the control group (p=0.05), with a trend for higher parameters in GERD cases.
Conclusions:
- Gender-specific control data for infant EPM may not be necessary.
- Ethnic differences are significant, with Caucasian infants having a higher incidence of pathological GERD.
- Awareness of increased GERD incidence in Caucasian infants is important for clinical practice.
Background:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is believed to be more common in adult males as compared to females. It also has been shown in adults to be more common in Caucasians. We wanted to determine ethnicity and gender related differences for extended pH monitoring parameters in infancy.
Methods:
Extended pH monitoring data (EPM) from infants < 1 year of age were reviewed. Results were classified in two groups, as control and Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) group based on the reflux index (RI). The GERD group had RI of equal to or more than 5% of total monitoring period. The parameters of RI, total number of episodes of pH < 4, and the number of episodes with pH < 4 lasting more than 5 minutes were compared by genders and by ethnic groups, Caucasians and African American (AA).
Results:
There were 569 infants, 388 controls, 181 with GERD (320 males, 249 females; 165 Caucasians, 375 AA). No statistical difference in EPM parameters was detected between genders in both groups. However, Caucasian infants had a significantly higher incidence of GERD than AA infants (p = 0.036). On stratifying by gender, Caucasian females had a significantly higher number of reflux episodes > 5 minutes as compared to AA females in the control group (p = 0.05). Furthermore, Caucasian females with GERD showed an overall higher trend for all parameters. Caucasian males had a trend for higher mean number of reflux episodes as compared to AA males in the control group (p = 0.09).
Conclusion:
Although gender specific control data do not appear warranted in infants undergoing EPM, ethnic differences related to an overall increased incidence of pathologic GERD in Caucasian infants should be noted.
