title: Prolonged esophageal pH monitoring in the evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux in children with chronic tubotympanal disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children with ear, nose and throat disorders are believed to have a high incidence of pathologic gastroesophageal reflux (GER). This study was designed to establish the frequency and ratio of pathologic GER in the development of chronic tubotympanal disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven children with chronic tubotympanal disorders (mean age, 2 to 13 years; average age, 6.8 years) underwent 24-hour continuous pH monitoring. Fourteen of the examined patients had secretory otitis, whereas 13 patients had recurrent otitis. From each 24-hour pH monitoring, 12-hour daytime and nighttime periods were selected. Eleven patients were tested using simultaneous dual pH monitoring (distal and proximal pH monitoring).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen (55.6%) of 27 patients had pathologic GER. The authors did not find a relation between pathologic GER and different types of ear disorders. Daytime pH monitoring yielded significantly more episodes of reflux than did nighttime monitoring. The reflux index was substantially higher during the day. In the current study, distal pH monitoring showed that 6 of 11 patients had pathologic GER, whereas proximal pH monitoring showed that only only 3 of 11 patients had pathologic GER.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors recommend that a pH study be performed in children with chronic tubotympanal disorders when standard treatment is ineffective. The method of choice for the diagnosis of pathologic GER in patients with chronic tubotympanal disorders should be pH monitoring of the esophagus and throat.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Clinic and Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, Rijeka University Medical School, Rijeka, Croatia. vojko.rozmanic@ri.tel.hr
authors.forename: Vojko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rozmanic
authors.forename: Mitja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velepic
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ahel
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bonifacic
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velepic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D010031:Otitis / Q000209:etiology*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence