Acid and Weakly Acidic Gastroesophageal Reflux and Pepsin Isoforms (A and C) in Tracheal Secretions of Critically Ill Children

The majority of GER episodes of children in the ICU were proximal and weakly acidic. All patients had aspiration of gastric contents as detected by pepsin A in tracheal fluid. A specific pepsin assay should be performed to establish gastropulmonary aspiration because pepsin C was found in > 70% of samples.