Could a simple probe placement change improve GERD diagnosis for millions?

NCT ID NCT07716592

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 21, 2026 · Last updated Jul 22, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether placing a pH monitoring probe closer to the stomach (1 cm above the squamocolumnar junction) instead of the standard 6 cm position improves detection of acid reflux in women and people with lower body weight. Participants receive two probes simultaneously during a routine diagnostic endoscopy and wear them for 96 hours while recording symptoms. The goal is to see if the closer placement catches reflux episodes that the standard position misses, potentially leading to more accurate GERD diagnosis in these groups.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Bravo pH monitoring with dual probe placement (standard 6 cm above SCJ and experimental 1 cm above SCJ)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could lead to more accurate GERD diagnosis for women and people with lower body weight, reducing missed cases.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study focused on diagnostic accuracy, not treatment. The experimental probe placement may not improve detection and could cause discomfort.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 80 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 90 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18-90 * Typical GERD symptoms (heartburn, regurgitation, chest discomfort) * No prior foregut surgery * Ability to undergo endoscopy with sedation and consent Exclusion Criteria: * Known motility disorders (e.g., achalasia) * Barrett's esophagus \>3 cm * Pregnancy * Chronic opioid use * Inability to tolerate endoscopy or EndoFLIP * Presence of large type III or IV paraesophageal hernia * Previous esophageal or gastric surgery, including previous hiatal hernia repair

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

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  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • The University o Chicago

    Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States

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