Gastric Continuous pH Monitoring: A New Apparatus in Chronobiological Research

Abstract

Among the tools required for a future clinical chronobiology, the instrumentation described here represents only the hardware that has to be complemented with appropriate software for as-one-goes analysis of variables such as gastric acidity. The software is available to determine reference standards against which excess or deficit in gastric acidity or any other pertinent variable can be assessed chronobiologically (Cornélissen et al., 1985; Halberg et al., 1985). This is the more important since several signs and symptoms of diseases related to gastric acid secretory function show prominent circadian, ultradian and infradian variations (Tarquini, 1980). The chronobiological assessment of endoluminal gastric pH, therefore, seems most appropriate to define physiopathological aspects and schedule a proper therapy of these diseases.