BACKGROUND/AIMS: Duodenogastric reflux is a physiologic phenomenon. For a number of years, alkalinization of the acidic intragastric pH environment, as assessed by 24-hour gastric pH-monitoring, was thought to be caused by duodenogastric reflux. The recent introduction of the fotooptic Bilitec system for intraluminal bilirubin measurement has created the possibility to directly quantify a component of duodenal juice. METHODOLOGY: In this study, 24-hour gastric pH-monitoring and 24-hour bilirubin monitoring were performed in healthy subjects. The upper limits for physiologic bile reflux are the percentage of total time of bile reflux of 28.2% and an average absorbance during a reflux episode of 0.62 (95th percentile with threshold 0.25). RESULTS: Comparing bile with pH-monitoring (absorbance > 0.25 and/or pH > 4), an increase of bilirubin was found most frequently with constant pH (43%) or an increase of pH with constant bilirubin (37%). CONCLUSIONS: The hypothesis was drawn that the composition of duodenogastric refluxate can vary. Bile and pancreatic juice may separately contribute to duodenogastric reflux.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Duodenogastric reflux is a physiologic phenomenon. For a number of years, alkalinization of the acidic intragastric pH environment, as assessed by 24-hour gastric pH-monitoring, was thought to be caused by duodenogastric reflux. The recent introduction of the fotooptic Bilitec system for intraluminal bilirubin measurement has created the possibility to directly quantify a component of duodenal juice. METHODOLOGY: In this study, 24-hour gastric pH-monitoring and 24-hour bilirubin monitoring were performed in healthy subjects. The upper limits for physiologic bile reflux are the percentage of total time of bile reflux of 28.2% and an average absorbance during a reflux episode of 0.62 (95th percentile with threshold 0.25). RESULTS: Comparing bile with pH-monitoring (absorbance > 0.25 and/or pH > 4), an increase of bilirubin was found most frequently with constant pH (43%) or an increase of pH with constant bilirubin (37%). CONCLUSIONS: The hypothesis was drawn that the composition of duodenogastric refluxate can vary. Bile and pancreatic juice may separately contribute to duodenogastric reflux.
Authors: Daniel S Oh; Jeffrey A Hagen; Martin Fein; Cedric G Bremner; Christy M Dunst; Steven R Demeester; John Lipham; Tom R Demeester Journal: J Gastrointest Surg Date: 2006-06 Impact factor: 3.452