Association of heartburn and laryngopharyngeal symptoms with endoscopic reflux esophagitis, smoking, and drinking.
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.
Lin
Chang-Chun
CC
Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, and Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Wang
Ya-Yu
YY
Wang
Kai-Li
KL
Lien
Han-Chung
HC
Liang
Ming-Tai
MT
Yen
Ting-Ting
TT
Wang
Jing-Ping
JP
Liu
Shi-An
SA
Wang
Chen-Chi
CC
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