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Simultaneous Colonic Pressure Waves in Children and Young Adults with Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders: Artefact
Richard Leibbrandt1, Samuel Nurko2, S Mark Scott3
1College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, Australia.
Insights
Simultaneous pressure waves (SPWs) in pediatric colonic manometry studies are likely an artifact, not a biomarker. Most identified SPWs spanned the entire digestive tract, suggesting external forces rather than intrinsic colonic activity.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Physiology
- Diagnostic Biomarkers
Background:
- Simultaneous pressure waves (SPWs) in colonic manometry were considered potential biomarkers for gas transit and neural reflexes.
- Previous pediatric studies noted SPWs often extended beyond the colon, suggesting artifactual origins.
- The study aimed to characterize colonic SPWs and their extent throughout the digestive tract.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nature of simultaneous pressure waves (SPWs) detected in pediatric colonic manometry.
- To determine the proportion of colonic SPWs that extend beyond the colon, potentially indicating an artifact.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 39 combined high-resolution antroduodenal and colonic manometry tracings from 27 pediatric patients.
- Utilized custom software to identify SPWs spanning either the entire digestive tract or only the colon.
Main Results:
- A total of 14,565 SPWs were detected.
- Over 99.9% (14,550) of SPWs spanned the entire antroduodenal and colonic recording sites.
- Only 15 SPWs (0.1%) were confined to the colon.
Conclusions:
- Colonic SPWs in pediatric manometry studies are predominantly an artifact.
- These events are likely caused by extrinsic factors such as abdominal strain or body motion.
- SPWs should not be used as diagnostic criteria in pediatric colonic manometry.
Background:
Simultaneous pressure waves (SPW) spanning all recording sites in colonic manometry studies have been described as a potential biomarker of normal gas transit and extrinsic neural reflexes. In pediatric studies utilizing combined antroduodenal and colonic manometry, it was noted that most colonic SPWs appeared to also span all sensors in the gastric and small bowel regions. This suggests that a proportion of colonic SPWs may represent an artefact caused by forces extrinsic to the colon. Our aim was to characterize colonic SPWs and determine how many of these spanned most of the digestive tract.
Methods:
In 39 combined high-resolution antroduodenal and colonic manometry traces from 27 pediatric patients, we used our purpose-built software to identify all SPWs that spanned either (i) all recording sites in the digestive tract or (ii) those restricted to the colon.
Results:
A total of 14,565 SPWs were identified (364 ± 316 SPWs/study), with 14,550 (99.9%) spanning the entire antroduodenal and colonic recording sites. Only 15 SPWs (0.1% of the total) were restricted to the colon (all in one recording).
Conclusions:
Based on these findings, we suggest that, in pediatric studies, SPWs should not form part of any diagnostic criteria, as these events appear to be an artefact caused by factors outside the colon (abdominal strain, body motion).
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