[Methodology and clinical significance of intragastric long-term pH measurement]

Abstract

Intragastric long-term pH-metry is a suitable method of assessing gastric acidity under conditions of real life. The pH-metry system consists of three components: pH electrode, solid state recorder, and data analyzing system. Combined glass electrodes are recommended for gastric pH studies. Up to now, there are no generally accepted normal values in gastric pH-metry and thus data analyzing is not uniformly standardized. Intragastric pH-metry is the method of choice for monitoring of antisecretory treatment. This method enables the recognition of non-responders and improves dosing of antisecretory drugs. The prognostic value of gastric pH-metry in the assessment of acid-related diseases, if any, has still to be defined.