title: Comparing 3-hour pH monitoring in esophagus with 24-hour pH monitoring to diagnose GERD.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ambulatory pH monitoring is an invasive method and it would bring some discomfort for patients to wear the probe for prolonged periods. A short time pH monitoring may be more acceptable with high compliance. Our aim is to determine whether analyzing a 3-hour (prandial and postprandial) period from an ambulatory 24-hour pH monitoring in esophagus would be as sensitive as the routine test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients had been called for esophageal manometry and ambulatory 24-hour pH monitoring. 3-hour data were analyzed from the standard ambulatory 24-hour pH recording. GERD was confirmed if pH was less than 4.0 for more than 4% of 24 hours, the data were then reanalyzed by determining the percent time of pH < 4.0 during a 3-hour period. Kappa test and Mc-nemar test were used in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred twenty-one patients met the entrance criterion. The 3-hour test had a sensitivity of 86% when compared to the 24-hour test and a specificity of 84%. Kappa test and Mc-nemar test verified the two monitor periods were considerable consistency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3-hour analysis is sensitive and specific test for demonstrating GERD. By using this test, patients can suffer less discomfort and appear enhanced compliance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, People's Hospital of Peking University No 11, South Street, Xizhimen, Beijing 100044, China. fggods@126.com
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guijian
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lili
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yulan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D049630:Esophageal Sphincter, Lower / Q000503:physiopathology; D050782:Esophageal pH Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors