BACKGROUND

The differential diagnosis of intractable reflux in children includes rumination syndrome, but confirming the diagnosis using antroduodenal manometry is invasive, is costly, and requires anesthesia. High-resolution esophageal manometry with impedance (HRM-MII) overcomes these limitations, and the goal of this study is to validate the use of HRM-MII as a diagnostic tool for rumination and to describe the subtypes of pediatric rumination.

METHODS

We reviewed the HRM-MII tracings of 21 children presenting with symptoms of intractable reflux in whom rumination was being considered. Patients underwent a standard and post-prandial HRM-MII. Peak intraluminal esophageal pressures, baseline gastric and thoracic pressures, and the timing of the R wave relative to LES relaxations and bolus flow were recorded. Chi-square analyses were used for comparison of proportions and means were compared using t-tests or non-parametric equivalent.

KEY RESULTS

Forty-one (55.5%) primary and 33 (44.5%) secondary rumination episodes were seen. Three types of primary rumination were identified: i) LES relaxation without retrograde flow preceding the R wave (51% of episodes); ii) LES relaxation after the R wave (20% of episodes); and iii) R waves with no LES relaxation (29% of episodes). Eleven patients had rumination episodes with a peak gastric pressure <30 mm Hg. A total of 44 (60%) rumination episodes occurred during the standard HRM-MII, and 30 (40%) occurred during or after the meal.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: HRM-MII can accurately diagnose rumination in children. We identify three types of primary rumination which may provide insight into therapeutic response.