Could a simple probe placement change improve GERD diagnosis for millions?
NCT ID NCT07716592
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
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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
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About 80 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 90 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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The University o Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States
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