title: Computerized analysis of ambulatory long-term small-bowel manometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ambulatory long-term manometry is increasingly being used to study small-bowel motility. This study aimed to develop computer-aided data analysis including the elimination of artefacts, identification of individual phasic contractions, and analysis of aboral propagation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data processing included low-pass filtering, base-line adaptation, cross-comparison of channels, and application of threshold values for contraction parameters. Automated analysis was validated by a visual reference standard.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Artefacts were related to cardiovascular and respiratory activity, changes in body posture, and contractions of the abdominal wall. Automated recognition of contractions reached a sensitivity of 92% and a positive predictive value of 88% compared with the visual standard. Mean contraction amplitude and duration of computer analysis were 96% and 93%, respectively, of the visually obtained values. Propagation analysis under ambulatory conditions showed good agreement with previous results by stationary recordings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Computerized analysis provided valid and reproducible data on small-bowel phasic contractile events and propagative activity by digital long-term manometry.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Medical Dept., Städtisches Krankenhaus München-Bogenhausen, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaess
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity