title: Salivary egf concentration in adults with reflux chronic laryngitis before and after treatment: preliminary results.
abstract: The Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) physiopathology is still unknown. The Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) is a biologically active salivary protein that aids in the rapid regeneration of the oropharyngeal and upper digestive tract mucosas. Salivary deficiency of this protein in patients with LPR has been demonstrated in previous studies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare salivary EGF concentration in patients with LPR before and after treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study twelve patients with GERD and moderate LPR were studied. Whole saliva samples were collected before and after treatment and salivary EGF concentration was determined using a commercially available ELISA kit (Quantikine).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were eleven females and one male among the patients, the mean age was 49 years. The mean pre-treatment salivary EGF concentration was 2,867.6 pg/mL and the mean post treatment EGF concentration was 1,588.5 pg/mL. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although salivary EGF concentrations are higher before LPR treatment, the concentration is still much lower than the mean salivary EGF concentration in normal individuals without LPR, which suggests a primary disorder of this defense factor in individuals with LPR.
authors.affiliation: Santa Casa Otorhinolaryngological Department, Sao Paulo.
authors.forename: Claudia Alessandra
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Eckley
authors.forename: Lilia da Silva
authors.initials: Lda S
authors.lastname: Rios
authors.forename: Luiz Vicente
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Rizzo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007827:Laryngitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor