American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement: Guidelines on the use of esophageal pH recording

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) on the use of esophageal pH recording. It was approved by the AGA Patient Care Committee on January 25, 1996, and by the AGA Governing Board on February 3, 1996.
https://doi.org/10.1053/gast.1996.1101981Get rights and content

Abstract

The following guidelines were developed to assist the physician in the appropriate use of esophageal pH recording in patient care. They emanate from a comprehensive review of the medical literature pertaining to the pH recording technique.1 Esophageal pH recording is widely available and, when done in a technically appropriate manner, provides quantitative data on both esophageal acid exposure and on the temporal correlation between patient symptoms and reflux events. Despite these strengths, the inherent weakness of the technique is its inability to prove causality between symptoms or syndromes and acid reflux events. Alternatively, causality is reasonably assumed in clinical practice by the substantial reduction or elimination of suspected reflux symptoms during a therapeutic trial of a proton pump inhibitor. In view of this viable alternative, the major indications for esophageal pH monitoring are in documenting the failure of either medical or surgical therapy. This position statement should help the clinician apply esophageal pH studies most beneficially within the context of other clinical options.

GASTROENTEROLOGY 1996;110-1981

Section snippets

Guidelines for the clinical use of esophageal pH recording

  • Esophageal pH recording is indicated to document abnormal esophageal acid exposure in an endoscopy-negative patient being considered for surgical antireflux repair (pH study done after withholding antisecretory drug regimen for ≥ 1 week).

  • Esophageal pH recording is indicated to evaluate patients after antireflux surgery who are suspected to have ongoing abnormal reflux (pH study done after withholding antisecretory drug regimen for ≥ 1 week).

  • Esophageal pH recording is indicated to evaluate

References (2)

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