Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: Is It the Real Culprit in Patients with Laryngeal Complaints?

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) in patients with laryngeal complaints and study the correlation between reflux symptom index (RSI) and reflux finding score (RFS). Materials and methods: This is a study of 104 patients, who presented in the ear, nose, and throat outpatient department at the Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, India, from April 2015 to April 2016, with complaints like change of voice, chronic cough, foreign body sensation, throat clearing, difficulty swallowing, and regurgitation. All the patients were examined with 90° endoscope by a single examiner, and an RSI ≥13 was considered as indicative of reflux. Observation and discussion: The mean age of the 104 patients was 47.2 years. The male:female ratio was 1:1.8. The RSI ranged from 5 to 44, with a mean of 22.99 and standard deviation (SD) of 7.43. The RFS ranged from 4 to 22, with a mean of 11.04 and SD of 3.07. Both the parameters showed high correlation (correlation coefficient 0.98). Conclusion: The LPR plays an important contributory role in patients with laryngeal complaints. The RFS and RSI can be used as routine parameters in establishing the diagnosis of reflux.