Gastroesophageal and laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms correlate with histopathologic inflammation of the upper and lower esophagus.
BACKGROUND
The presence of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease is controversial when abnormal sensation of the laryngopharynx is felt without heartburn.


OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between abnormal sensation of the laryngopharynx and gastroesophageal reflux, and to elucidate the pathology of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease by investigating histopathologic findings of the upper and lower esophagus.


METHODS
Upper and lower esophageal tissues were biopsied by endoscopy in 300 consenting patients, excluding those with serious diseases.


RESULTS
Fifty-seven patients (19.0%) reported reflux symptoms alone (reflux symptom group), 48 patients (16.0%) reported abnormal sensation of the laryngopharynx alone (abnormal laryngopharyngeal sensation group), and 74 patients (24.7%) reported both reflux symptoms and abnormal sensation of the laryngopharynx (complication group), whereas 121 patients (40.3%) did not report subjective reflux symptoms and abnormal sensation of the laryngopharynx (control group). Histopathologic inflammation of the upper esophagus was significantly greater in the complication and abnormal laryngopharyngeal sensation groups compared with the control group. Histologic inflammation of the lower esophagus was significantly higher in the complication and reflux symptom groups compared with the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The histopathologic findings of the upper and lower esophagus elucidated an association between gastroesophageal reflux and abnormal sensation of the laryngopharynx.
Wada
Tsuneya
T
Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
Sasaki
Makoto
M
Kataoka
Hiromi
H
Ogasawara
Naotaka
N
Kanematsu
Takayoshi
T
Tanida
Satoshi
S
Nojiri
Shunsuke
S
Ando
Tomoaki
T
Okochi
Masahiro
M
Joh
Takashi
T
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007013:Hypopharynx / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index