Pharyngeal pH monitoring in infants with laryngitis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess pharyngeal acid reflux (PAR) exposure with flexible laryngoscopy-guided pharyngeal pH monitoring in infants with laryngitis.


METHODS
Tertiary care children's hospital.


METHODS
Charts of 10 infants with laryngitis who underwent pharyngoesophageal pH monitoring were reviewed. Data included history, physical examination, and pharyngoesophageal pH monitoring findings.


RESULTS
Six infants had PAR. Two patients were on acid suppressive therapy and exhibited PAR. The number of PAR observed in six infants ranged between 1 and 81. The percent acid exposure time (AET) in the pharynx was between 0.1% and 1.2%. Esophageal acid reflux documented in nine infants ranged between 5 and 173. The percent AET in the esophagus was between 0.1% and 4.8%.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of the studied infants with laryngitis had PAR. Not all esophageal acid reflux reached the pharynx. Pharyngeal pH monitoring provides additional information that cannot be obtained with esophageal pH monitoring in infants with laryngitis.
Ulualp
Seckin O
SO
Pediatric Airway and Swallowing Disorders Laboratory, Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology and Department of Otolaryngology, UTMB Children's Hospital, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0521, USA. seulualp@utmb.edu
Rodriguez
Sarah
S
Cunningham
Samuel
S
Shen
Jing
J
D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007827:Laryngitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010614:Pharynx / Q000503:physiopathology*