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Acid perfusion test: a useful test for evaluating esophageal acid sensitivity
Alistair L King1, Angela Anggiansah, Roy Anggiansah
1Department of Gastroenterology, Hemel Hempstead General Hospital, Herts, UK. alistair.king@whht.nhs.uk
Digestive Diseases and Sciences
|September 1, 2005
Summary
The acid perfusion test (APT) can identify esophageal acid sensitivity in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients. Even when 24-hour pH monitoring is negative, APT may detect acid-related symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Esophageal Physiology
Background:
- The acid perfusion test (APT) assesses esophageal acid sensitivity.
- In gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), APT is often replaced by 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring indexes like SI, SSI, and SAP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the role of the acid perfusion test (APT) in patients diagnosed with GERD.
- To compare the diagnostic values of SI, SSI, and SAP between APT-positive and APT-negative GERD patients.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of symptom index (SI), symptom sensitivity index (SSI), and symptom association probability (SAP) values.
- Analysis involved 126 patients who were APT-positive and 146 patients who were APT-negative.
Main Results:
- Median values for SI, SSI, and SAP were significantly higher in the APT-positive group (P < 0.001).
- A greater proportion of APT-positive patients exhibited positive SI, SSI, and SAP results compared to the APT-negative group.
- The negative predictive value of APT was 86%, indicating patients with a negative APT were unlikely to have acid reflux-induced symptoms.
Conclusions:
- The acid perfusion test (APT) demonstrates utility in identifying esophageal acid sensitivity in GERD patients.
- APT may be valuable for detecting acid sensitivity in individuals who do not report symptoms during 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring.