Can patient and pain characteristics predict manometric sphincter of Oddi dysfunction in patients with clinically suspected sphincter of Oddi dysfunction?

Background: Biliopancreatic-type postcholecystectomy pain, without significant abnormalities on imaging and laboratory test results, has been categorized as "suspected" sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) type III. Clinical predictors of "manometric" SOD are important to avoid unnecessary ERCP, but are unknown.

Objective: To assess which clinical factors are associated with abnormal sphincter of Oddi manometry (SOM).

Design: Prospective, cross-sectional.

Setting: Tertiary.

Patients: A total of 214 patients with suspected SOD type III underwent ERCP and pancreatic SOM (pSOM; 85% dual SOM), at 7 U.S. centers (from August 2008 to March 2012) as part of a randomized trial.

Interventions: Pain and gallbladder descriptors, psychosocial/functional disorder questionnaires.

Main Outcome Measurements: Abnormal SOM findings. Univariate and multivariate analyses assessed associations between clinical characteristics and outcome.

Results: The cohort was 92% female with a mean age of 38 years. Baseline pancreatic enzymes were increased in 5%; 9% had minor liver enzyme abnormalities. Pain was in the right upper quadrant (RUQ) in 90% (48% also epigastric); 51% reported daily abdominal discomfort. Fifty-six took narcotics an average of 33 days (of the past 90 days). Less than 10% experienced depression or anxiety. Functional disorders were common. At ERCP, 64% had abnormal pSOM findings (34% both sphincters, 21% biliary normal), 36% had normal pSOM findings, and 75% had at least abnormal 1 sphincter. Demographic factors, gallbladder pathology, increased pancreatobiliary enzymes, functional disorders, and pain patterns did not predict abnormal SOM findings. Anxiety, depression, and poorer coping were more common in patients with normal SOM findings (not significant on multivariate analysis).

Limitations: Generalizability.

Conclusions: Patient and pain factors and psychological comorbidity do not predict SOM results at ERCP in suspected type III SOD. (

Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT00688662.).