“Clinical Utility of 24-hour Pharyngeal pH Monitoring for Hoarseness”
September 8, 2017“Effects of Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux on Post-Treatment Symptoms and Hypopharyngeal pH”
September 8, 2017Friedman M, Hamilton C, Samuelson CG, et al. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2012; 146(6):952-8.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the need for pH testing in diagnosing laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR).
RESULTS: No significant difference in RSI was seen between Ryan-positive (17.50 ± 11.47) and Ryan-negative (14.95 ± 11.43) patients (P = .161). Overall, RSI correlated poorly with percentage time spent below pH thresholds 6.5, 6.0, 5.5, and 5.0 and upright and supine Ryan parameters at these thresholds (as determined by linear regression analysis). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of RSI ≥ 13 for Ryan positivity were 55.7%, 47.3%, 44.3%, and 58.7%, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Our findings show that in our population of otolaryngology patients, the diagnosis of LPR cannot be reliably made on the basis of symptoms alone. Diagnosis, and in particular treatment decisions, should ideally be made on the basis of a combination of symptoms, signs, and confirmatory testing.