Is Height a Contributing Factor of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease? A Case-Series of 463 Patients.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the influence of height on pharyngeal reflux characteristics, clinical presentation, and therapeutic outcomes in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD).

Methods: Data of patients with a positive diagnosis of LPRD at the 24-hour hypopharyngeal-esophageal multi-channel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring (HEMII-pH) were collected from the European Reflux Clinic and Elsan Hospital from January 2017 to October 2024. Analysis included HEMII-pH parameters (number and pH of pharyngeal reflux events), pretreatment and post treatment reflux symptom scores (RSS), reflux sign assessment (RSA), and gastrointestinal endoscopy findings stratified by patient height.

Results: The study included 463 patients (257 females (55.5%) and 206 males (44.5%). The mean ages of females and males were 51.7 ± 15.4 and 50.4 ± 16.1, respectively. Females demonstrated higher frequency of weakly acidic pharyngeal reflux events and RSS compared to males. Height did not influence HEMII-pH parameters or endoscopic findings in either sex. However, shortest females reported higher baseline digestive symptoms and demonstrated higher 3-month post treatment RSA scores. In males, therapeutic response varied by height, with significant RSS improvements observed in groups <171 cm and 171-180 cm, while the tallest group showed no significant improvement.

Conclusion: Height does not influence objective HEMII-pH findings. RSS did not differ across height-stratified cohorts, either at baseline or 3 months post treatment. Future studies should investigate the role of physiological, anatomical, and behavioral factors in height-related therapeutic variations.