Table 1

Results of bile acid assay (median peak bile acid concentration and range) and oesophageal pH profile (median and interquartile range)

Group	Normal	Minimal	Erosive	Barrett’s oesophagus/stricture
Primary bile acids
Cholic acid	0 (0–8)	0 (0–99)^1-150	34 (0–150)^1-150	25 (0–126)^1-150
Taurocholic acid	0 (0–8)	7 (0–67)^1-150	21 (0–198)^1-150	39 (4–131)^†
Glycocholic acid	0 (0–6)	7 (0–102)^1-150	21 (0–88)^1-150	27 (0–95)^1-150
Secondary bile acids
Deoxycholic acid	0 (0–3)	0 (0–7)	2 (0–230)^†	0 (0–282)^†
Taurodeoxycholic acid	0 (0–0)	0 (0–0)	0 (0–157)^†	5.5 (0–410)^†
Glycodeoxycholic acid	0 (0–0)	0 (0–47)	2.5 (0–285)^1-150	0 (0–72)
Taurolithocholic acid	0 (0–0)	0 (0–0)	0 (0–0)	6 (0–482)^‡
Total bile acid concentration	0 (0–16)	14 (0–257)^1-150	124 (6–1020)^†	181 (30–820)^†
Oesophageal pH
% time pH<4	2.1 (0.9–12.1)	2.7 (1.3–5.9)	5.1 (3.6–12.1)	22.3 (10.0–46.0)^‡
DeMeester acid score	11.1 (7.5–25.6)	12.5 (8.8–20.4)	20.2 (13.7–36.0)^‡	43.3 (30.6–83.0)^†

↵1-150 p<0.05 versus normal; ^†p<0.05 versus normal and minimal;^‡p<0.05 versus normal, minimal, and erosive (Mann-Whitney U test).
0 = less than the limit of sensitivity (0.25 μmol/l).