Effect of sucralfate on gastric intramucosal pH in critically ill patients.

Abstract

To determine whether sucralfate administration affects the tonometric measurement of gastric intramucosal pH (pHi). Non-randomized observational study. General intensive care unit of a teaching hospital. Twenty critically ill, mechanically ventilated, consecutively admitted patients requiring an arterial catheter and nasogastric tube. Tonometer placement and sucralfate administration. We simultaneously determined tonometer saline PCO2 (PCO2i), arterial blood gases, pH of gastric juice and pHi. These parameters were evaluated immediately before sucralfate administration, and 2 h and 4 h after. We did not detect any change in either PCO2i or pHi after sucralfate administration (PCO2i: basal 6.4 +/- 1.7, 2 h 6.3 +/- 1.7, 4 h 6.3 +/- 1.7; pHi: basal 7.35 +/- 0.13, 2 h 7.36 +/- 0.12, 4 h 7.36 +/- 0.12). Sucralfate does not affect the tonometric measurement of PCO2i and pHi.