title: Quality of life in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) disease is an extraesophageal manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The impact of GERD-related LPR on the psychological well-being and quality of life (QOL) in Chinese is not known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the QOL in patients with LPR disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  76 LPR and 73 healthy subjects were recruited. Psychological well-being was assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score and QOL was assessed by SF-36.
  
  
  RESULTS
  51/76 (67.1%) patients had GERD-related LPR. More LPR subjects had taken sick leave (36.2 vs. 5.6%, p = 0.001) and reported adverse social life impact (60.5 vs. 38.9%, p = 0.013). LPR patients showed significantly worse results on the Voice Handicap Index (47.8 vs. 7.6, p = 0.001), were more anxious and had worse QOL in social functioning, pain and general health perception domains of SF-36. GERD-related LPR subjects had a higher depression score (4.8 vs. 3.8, p = 0.014) and a lower mental summary score (41.8 vs. 48.4, p = 0.01) in SF-36 compared with those without GERD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LPR had a negative impact on psychological status, social functioning and QOL. GERD symptoms appeared to be the main contributor to decrease QOL. GERD-related LPR patients had a significant impact on the mental component of their QOL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, SAR, China.
authors.forename: Ting Kin
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Paul K Y
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: William Ignace
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Wai Man
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Manwa L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Ivan F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Benjamin C Y
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires