Evaluation of patients with globus pharyngeus with barium swallow pharyngoesophagography.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine the value of barium swallow pharyngoesophagography in the investigation of patients with globus pharyngeus who had no known disease, no operation history in the head and neck region, and no thyroid pathology. We compare the clinical presentation with the radiologic findings to assess the diagnostic accuracy of barium swallow in such patients.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study of the clinical records and radiologic reports of 194 patients with globus pharyngeus, between October 1998 and October 2004, that were reviewed and analyzed for correlations between clinical signs and symptoms and barium swallow findings using the chi2 test. All the patients had normal ear, nose, and throat examination, including indirect laryngoscopy and/or nasoendoscopy. Patients with known pharyngeal and esophageal disease, neurologic disease known to cause pharyngeal or esophageal dysfunction, evidence of autoimmune disease or diabetes mellitus, with a thyroid operation in the past and thyroid nodules detected with radiologic investigation were excluded.


RESULTS
There were 116 (59.8%) female and 78 (40.2%) male patients. In 114 patients (59%), globus was the only symptom. Sore throat was the most common associated complaint. Benign barium swallow findings were detected in 63.9% of the patients. Cervical osteophyte indentation was the most common finding. In 36.1% of the patients, the radiologic finding was normal. The statistical analysis using the chi2 test showed a significant relationship (P < .001) between the symptoms of globus pharyngeus and the barium swallow results.


CONCLUSIONS
Barium swallow pharyngoesophagography is useful to detect underlying benign characteristic pathologies in patients with globus who have no known head and neck illness.
Caylakli
Fatma
F
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Adana Teaching and Research Medical Center, Turkey. fcaylakli@yahoo.com
Yavuz
Haluk
H
Erkan
Alper Nabi
AN
Ozer
Cem
C
Ozluoglu
Levent Naci
LN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D001466:Barium Sulfate