title: Many patients continue using proton pump inhibitors after negative results from tests for reflux disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ambulatory reflux testing is used to evaluate symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) refractory to protein pump inhibitors (PPIs). We investigated the prevalence of PPI use in patients with negative results from Bravo pH or multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) tests and factors that might predict the use of PPIs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from patients who had undergone Bravo pH monitoring or MII-pH testing at Northwestern University, without evidence of reflux disease. Demographics, endoscopy findings, pathology results, and provider recommendations were obtained via chart review. Eligible patients (n = 90) were contacted by telephone, and a cross-sectional survey was administered with questions about symptom severity, demographics, medication use, and health behaviors. Patients were compared by current PPI use, and statistical analyses were performed by using SAS version 9.2 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight patients (42.2%) reported current PPI use despite a negative result from a pH study. Only 17 patients (18.9%) recalled being instructed to stop taking PPIs; chart review showed documented instructions to stop PPI therapy for 15 patients (16.7%). There were no significant differences in demographic or clinical characteristics among patients compared by current PPI use. Patients taking a PPI were more likely than those not taking a PPI to report troublesome symptoms that affected their daily life, as measured by a questionnaire for the diagnosis of GERD (the GerdQ).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than 42% of patients with negative results from pH monitoring studies continue PPI therapy despite physiological data that they do not have GERD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gawron
authors.forename: Jami
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rothe
authors.forename: Angela J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fought
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fareeduddin
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toto
authors.forename: Lubomyr
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boris
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kahrilas
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pandolfino
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050782:Esophageal pH Monitoring; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000737:chemistry; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors