Computerized analysis of ambulatory long-term small-bowel manometry.
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.
Widmer
R
R
2nd Medical Dept., Städtisches Krankenhaus München-Bogenhausen, Munich, Germany.
Schmidt
T
T
Pfeiffer
A
A
Kaess
H
H
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