Analysis of multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH monitoring values in children with cerebral palsy: A comparative multicenter study.

Abstract

Objectives: To compare the features of multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH monitoring (MII-pH) tracings in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and children without CP.

Methods: Multicenter, retrospective, analytical study. We examined tracings of children aged 1 to 15 years old, evaluated from May 2017 to January 2024. Population included two groups: Group 1 consisted of children with CP, while control group comprised children without CP who had extra-digestive symptoms suggestive of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) but normal MII-pH results. Quantitative data were analyzed using analysis of variance and t tests. Qualitative data were analyzed using contingency tables and chi-square tests.

Results: We studied 245 children. CP group included 110 children with a mean age of 5.71 years (standard deviation [SD] ± 4.24), while control group included 135 children with a mean age of 5.73 years (SD ± 3.39). The CP group had fewer reflux episodes (p = 0.0015), slower mean acid clearance time (p = 0.04), lower mean baseline impedance and mean nocturnal baseline impedance (p = 1.82e-07 and p = 7.50e-07).

Conclusion: Children with CP have fewer reflux episodes and longer acid clearance times compared with children without CP. Prospective studies including esophagogastroduodenoscopy findings are needed to establish MII-pH reference values in children with CP.