Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the agreement between epigastric auscultation and pH measurement in the confirmation of nasoenteral tube placement.
Method: A cross-sectional study carried out in a medium-sized private hospital in the interior of the state of São Paulo. Forty-nine patients who were submitted to ninety insertion procedures and confirmation of tube placement. aimed at evaluating the agreement of clinical methods used by nurses to confirm the positioning of a nasoenteral tube inserted blindly at the bedside, by measuring the parameters of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value.
Results: The epigastric auscultation was the method that presented the highest sensitivity (100.0%), but lower specificity (2.0%). The measurement of the pH presented lower sensitivity (63.0%) than the auscultation, however, higher specificity (58%). Moreover, the positive predictive value of the pH measurement was 55% and the negative predictive value was 66%. There was no agreement between the epigastric auscultation and the pH measurement with the radiography.
Conclusion: The pH measurement did not allow for distinguishing between gastric and enteric positioning, due to the similarity of the esophageal and pulmonary pH with the pH of the intestine. Furthermore, external factors such as the use of medication and reduced fasting time may interfere with the pH value.