REPRODUCIBILITY AND PHYSIOLOGICAL-CHARACTERISTICS OF 24-HOUR AMBULATORY ESOPHAGEAL MANOMETRY PH-METRY/

Objectives: To assess the reproducibility and physiological characteri stics of ambulatory esophageal manometry/pH-metry, Methods: Ten health y volunteers were studied on two separate occasions (2 wk apart) using the Synectics Microdigitrapper System, The pH recording failed in one subject; thus, pH data were analyzed in nine, and motility measuremen ts in all 10 subjects, Results: A high degree of reproducibility was e stablished for the five pH and seven manometry variables assessed, Usi ng the paired t test and Wilcoxon signed rank test to compare the two sets of data, all p values were >0.05, Narrow 95% confidence intervals containing the zero measures were also obtained on the differences of the data from both sessions for all variables, Better correlation coe fficients were obtained for the motility parameters than for the pH pa rameters, As would be expected, reflux occurred more often in the upri ght than in the supine position, Furthermore, esophageal contractions were of higher amplitude and longer duration in the distal esophagus, and the frequency of propulsive contraction sequences was higher durin g meals and in the upright position than in the supine position, Concl usions: This study demonstrates the reproducibility of ambulatory esop hageal manometry/pH-metry, suggesting that this technology may be usef ul in assessing the effect of pharmacological intervention on esophage al motor function.