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Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Simultaneous Laryngopharyngeal and Conventional Esophageal pH Monitoring
Published on: December 14, 2020
Esophageal motility in nonacid reflux compared with acid reflux
Victor S Wang1, Natan Feldman, Rie Maurer
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston 02115, MA, USA.
Abstract:
Esophageal motility has been well studied in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and acid reflux, but not in nonacid reflux. Consecutive patients who had both 24-h multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) and esophageal motility tests for suspected GERD were studied. Patients were grouped into nonacid refluxers, acid refluxers, and nonrefluxers based on positive symptom correlation and objective findings of acid reflux. Of 96 patients enrolled, 21 patients (22%) were nonacid refluxers, 44 patients (46%) were acid refluxers, and 31 patients (32%) had no objective evidence of reflux. Normal motility was recorded in 86% of nonacid refluxers, 71% of acid refluxers, and 60% of nonrefluxers. Ineffective esophageal motility was seen in 24% of acid refluxers, and 5% of nonacid refluxers (P = 0.11). Symptomatic nonacid reflux events comprised 22% of patients studied for GERD symptoms by MII-pH. Esophageal motility in nonacid reflux is normal 86% of the time.
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