[Typical and atypical symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease]

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare intensity and incidence of both, typical (heartburn, acid regurgitation) and atypical (hoarseness, throat clearing, globus pharyngeus) symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease among 72 patients and 123 healthy persons. Diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease in 58 cases (80.6%) was confirmed by endoscopic and histological findings of esophagitis and in 14 cases (19.4%) by Omeprasol test. The intensity of the symptom was calculated by multiplication of the intensity and frequency of the symptom. According to the data obtained laryngopharyngeal reflux disease manifested more frequently with atypical symptoms. In the patients' group mean intensity of hoarseness was 5.29 +/- 0.74 points, mean index of hoarseness 7.06 +/- 1.35 points. Typical symptoms were found only in 14-22% of patients. The mean intensity of heartburn was 2.6 +/- 0.66 points, mean index of heartburn was 4.73 +/- 1.02 points. The incidence of atypical symptoms was three times higher than the incidence of typical symptoms (p < 0.05). According to the multinomial logistic regression analysis the combination of three atypical symptoms (hoarseness, throat clearing and globus pharyngeus) separated groups of the patients and healthy persons. The combination of these symptoms increases the odds ratio for laryngopharyngeal reflux disease 59.7 times. Idiopathic hoarseness as a single symptom increases the odds ratio for laryngopharyngeal reflux disease 85 times.