AGE-RELATED AND GENDER-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN 24-HOUR ESOPHAGEAL PH MONITORING OF NORMAL SUBJECTS

Twenty-four-hour esophageal pH monitoring is currently the most sensit ive test for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux. Little is known, howe ver, about the effect of aging and gender on esophageal acid exposure in asymptomatic individuals. Thirty asymptomatic volunteers underwent 24-hr esophageal pH monitoring. Fifteen were < 65 years (eight female, seven male) and 15 were greater-than-or-equal-to 65 years (seven fema le, eight male). In this asymptomatic group no significant difference was seen by age, while males were found to have significantly more eso phageal acid exposure than females. The need for sex-specific normal 2 4-hr pH monitoring values is suggested. Thirty percent of these asympt omatic subjects were abnormal by conventional 24-hr pH criteria. The c linical importance of these ''silent refluxers'' is unknown.