title: Association of heartburn and laryngopharyngeal symptoms with endoscopic reflux esophagitis, smoking, and drinking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to investigate the association of laryngopharyngeal symptoms and heartburn with endoscopic esophagitis, smoking, and drinking. The clinical importance of the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) in predicting endoscopic esophagitis was also evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series with planned data collection.
  
  
  METHODS
  From November 2006 to February 2007, 156 adults received a whole-body physical check-up. They filled out the RSI questionnaire and were dichotomized into either a "no problem group" or a "possible patients group" according to their scores on the RSI. All subjects received an esophagoscopy. The relationship between RSI score and endoscopic esophagitis, smoking, and drinking was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Voice change, but not heartburn, was significantly associated with endoscopic reflux esophagitis. Based on the RSI scores, some items in addition to voice change were significantly associated with smoking or drinking but not with endoscopic esophagitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While screening patients for reflux esophagitis by using the RSI questionnaire, there is little value in using heartburn to predict endoscopic esophagitis in Taiwanese people. On the other hand, a husky voice might be a good clinical indicator of patients at risk of having reflux esophagitis.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, and Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors: Chang-Chun
authors: CC
authors: Lin
authors: Ya-Yu
authors: YY
authors: Wang
authors: Kai-Li
authors: KL
authors: Wang
authors: Han-Chung
authors: HC
authors: Lien
authors: Ming-Tai
authors: MT
authors: Liang
authors: Ting-Ting
authors: TT
authors: Yen
authors: Jing-Ping
authors: JP
authors: Wang
authors: Shi-An
authors: SA
authors: Liu
authors: Chen-Chi
authors: CC
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006356:Heartburn / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000209:etiology