The role of psychological distress in laryngopharyngeal reflux patients: a prospective questionnaire study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the role of psychological distress in laryngopharyngeal reflux patients and evaluate the correlation between symptoms, laryngeal signs, pH monitoring results and psychological profile.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Hanyang University Hospital, a university teaching hospital and tertiary referral center.


METHODS
One hundred and six patients who were diagnosed with laryngopharyngeal reflux by 24-h ambulatory double probe pH monitoring and 119 healthy controls visiting our health promotion center from January 2006 to June 2007.


METHODS
The psychological profile of laryngopharyngeal reflux patients measured by the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised questionnaire were evaluated and compared with those of healthy controls. The correlation between reflux symptom index, reflux finding score, parameters of pH monitoring and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised profiles were also evaluated.


RESULTS
On the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised questionnaire, the total mean T-scores of the nine symptom dimensions and three global indices of the laryngopharyngeal reflux patients were all below 50. The Global Severity Index, which indicates overall psychological distress, was normal in all of the patients. On comparison with the control group, no statistically significant difference was noted in the psychological profile except on the Somatisation scale where laryngopharyngeal reflux patients showed significantly higher scores. Reflux symptom index showed significant positive correlation with the number of reflux episodes, percentage of time which pH fell below 4 in total positions, and DeMeester score of the upper probe. The nine symptom dimensions and three global indices of Symptom Checklist-90-Revised questionnaire did not show any correlation with reflux symptom index, reflux finding score and the parameters of the 24-h ambulatory double probe pH monitoring.


CONCLUSIONS
Laryngopharyngeal reflux patients did not demonstrate any significant level of psychological distress and their symptom severity showed significant positive correlation with reflux severity.
Shin
K-S
KS
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-792, Korea.
Tae
K
K
Jeong
J-H
JH
Jeong
S-W
SW
Kim
K-R
KR
Park
C-W
CW
Park
Y-C
YC
D000328:Adult; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires