Background: Ambulatory long-term manometry is increasingly being used to study small-bowel motility. This study aimed to develop computer-aided data analysis including the elimination of artefacts, identification of individual phasic contractions, and analysis of aboral propagation.
Methods: Data processing included low-pass filtering, base-line adaptation, cross-comparison of channels, and application of threshold values for contraction parameters. Automated analysis was validated by a visual reference standard.
Results: Artefacts were related to cardiovascular and respiratory activity, changes in body posture, and contractions of the abdominal wall. Automated recognition of contractions reached a sensitivity of 92% and a positive predictive value of 88% compared with the visual standard. Mean contraction amplitude and duration of computer analysis were 96% and 93%, respectively, of the visually obtained values. Propagation analysis under ambulatory conditions showed good agreement with previous results by stationary recordings.
Conclusions: Computerized analysis provided valid and reproducible data on small-bowel phasic contractile events and propagative activity by digital long-term manometry.