Review article: The laryngological manifestations of reflux disease; why the scepticism?
BACKGROUND
Despite increasing clinical and experimental evidence of its existence, otolaryngological manifestations of reflux disease remain controversial, concerning diagnosis as well as treatment.


OBJECTIVE
Proper understanding of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD).


METHODS
Review of literature.


RESULTS
Scepticism concerning LPRD is based upon differences between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and LPRD; lack of specificity and sensitivity of diagnostic tests to confirm LPRD; non-specificity of laryngological symptoms, which are difficult to distinguish from other causes of upper respiratory tract inflammation; non-specificity of laryngological signs in laryngoscopy, with high intra- and inter-observer variability in evaluation; diagnosis of LPRD is essentially only based on a combination of diagnostic signs and symptoms, which cannot be attributed to other pathology; slow, or sometimes lack of, response of LPRD symptoms to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication and lack of evidence concerning efficacy of PPIs in placebo-controlled trials.


CONCLUSIONS
LPRD remains a diagnosis by exclusion and resolution of symptoms following 4-month trial of 40 mg PPI twice daily is, for all practical purposes, considered proof of the initial diagnosis. However, non-response does not exclude LPRD as PPIs have no influence on noxious non-acid components of the refluxate.
Mahieu
H F
HF
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Meander Medical Centre, Amersfoort, The Netherlands. hf.mahieu@meandermc.nl
D050782:Esophageal pH Monitoring; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors