ABNORMAL ESOPHAGEAL PH-MONITORING IN PATIENTS WITH FUNCTIONAL THORACIC AND ABDOMINAL DISORDERS

Background and objectives. - Controversial data are reported on the di agnostic yield of oesophageal pH-monitoring in clinical routine. The a im of this study was to determine the diagnostic importance of oesopha geal pH-monitoring in the work-up of functional thoraco-abdominal diso rders. Methods. - The prevalence of abnormalities in pH-monitoring was evaluated in 238 patients with functional complaints: typical reflux symptoms (n = 56), non-cardiac chest pain (n = 98), non-ulcer dyspepsi a (n = 52), and unclassifiable abdominal pain (n = 32). A symptom inde x was calculated for reflux-related symptoms in patients experiencing symptoms during the measurement (n = 74). Results. - The rate of patie nts with an abnormal pH-monitoring were in patients with reflux sympto ms noncardiac chest pain, non-ulcer dyspepsia and unclassified abdomin al pain 55, 50, 44 and 34 %, respectively. A symptom index of at least 50 % was observed in 77, 55, 50 and 60 % in the four groups respectiv ely.Conclusion. - The high rate of abnormal oesophageal pH-monitoring and symptom related reflux events in the investigated patients emphasi zes the importance of 24-hour oesophageal pH-measurement in the diagno stic work-up of functional thoracic and abdominal disorders.