Reproducibility and intragastric variation of duodenogastric reflux using ambulatory gastric bilirubin monitoring

Duodenogastric reflux has long been considered to be important in the patho genesis of many gastric disorders that exhibit regional variation within th e stomach. Ambulatory gastric bilirubin monitoring is a new technique and, although extensively validated, reproducibility and gastric regional variat ion have not been specifically addressed. Fourteen patients with symptoms o f gastroesophageal reflux and 12 healthy subjects underwent 24-h ambulatory gastric bilirubin monitoring with the bilirubin sensor in the upper stomac h. Gastric bilirubin monitoring with two simultaneous bilirubin probes, one in the upper stomach and the other in the antrum, was performed on a separ ate occasion. Gastric bilirubin exposure in the initial and repeat studies showed a good correlation (R = 0.60, P < 0.01). Gastric bilirubin exposure in the upper stomach and the antrum showed a high degree of correlation (R = 0.90, P < 0.01). In conclusion, reproducible results are obtained with am bulatory gastric bilirubin monitoring and duodenogastric reflux does not ex hibit significant regional variation within the stomach.