[Clinical value of intraesophageal pH measurement in children. Experience in 235 cases]
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The 24-hour intra-esophageal pH test is the best method for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux (GER). This study quantifies GER and links it to respiratory symptoms in children.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pediatric diagnostics
- Esophageal pH monitoring
Context:
- Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) diagnosis requires reliable methods.
- The 24-hour intra-esophageal pH test is considered superior for GER assessment.
- Understanding GER's impact on pediatric health is crucial.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the 24-hour intra-esophageal pH test as a diagnostic and control tool for GER.
- To establish normal quantitative pH-metry values in children.
- To correlate GER parameters with treatment outcomes and respiratory symptoms.
Summary:
- This study analyzed 235 pediatric cases, including controls, post-surgery patients, and those with diagnosed GER or treated GER.
- It presents normal 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring values for children and compares them across groups.
- Key diagnostic parameters like percentage of time pH < 4 and reflux duration (>5 minutes) were identified, along with a link between GER and respiratory symptoms.
Impact:
- Provides quantitative GER values for improved diagnosis and treatment decisions in children.
- Identifies reliable pH-metry parameters for GER diagnosis and severity assessment.
- Establishes a connection between GER and pediatric respiratory symptoms, guiding further clinical investigation.
Abstract:
The intra-esophageal pH test is presented as a diagnostic method and as a control of GER, considering the 24-hour test as the best among all exploratory methods. The authors present 235 studied cases, distributed as follows: a control group of 20 normals, 24 cases explored after surgery, 80 cases of children with recently diagnoses GER or cases of bad response to postural treatment and 111 cases at the end of a favourable postural treatment. The normal quantitative values of 24-hour esophageal monitoring by pH-metry are presented in children and these are compared between the aforementioned groups. A detailed study of these explorations allows the authors to make a quantitative value of GER and to find out which ones of the studied parameters are more reliable for diagnosis (percentage of time under pH less than 4), and which ones indicate the severity of the process (refluxes of more than five minutes) that condition a change of treatment for the patient. Likewise, this study also permits the establishment of a relationship between GER and respiratory symptoms.