title: Combination of voice therapy and antireflux therapy rapidly recovers voice-related symptoms in laryngopharyngeal reflux patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux frequently experience voice-related symptoms. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of combined voice and medical therapy in comparison with medical therapy alone in the improvement of voice-related symptoms and parameters in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux.
  
  
  METHODS
  Concurrent nonrandomized comparative trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Otolaryngology department at a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study, 100 patients diagnosed with laryngopharyngeal reflux with voice symptoms were divided into 2 groups: 50 patients were treated with medication alone, and 50 were treated with medication plus voice therapy. The following data were recorded before treatment and at 1, 2, and 3 months posttreatment: reflux symptom index (RSI), reflux finding score (RFS), voice handicap index (VHI), perceptual analysis, and acoustic analysis. The numbers of patients showing clinically significant reductions in these parameters were compared between groups using the following cutoff values: change in RSI ≥5, change in RFS ≥3, change in VHI ≥15, and change in grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain scale (GRBAS) ≥1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly more patients in the study group showed a clinically significant change in RSI, VHI, and GRBAS score at the 1-, 2-, and 3-month follow-up evaluations. No clinically significant change in RFS was achieved in either group at 1 or 2 months, but a significantly greater change was achieved in the study group at 3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Voice therapy may help to restore reversible mucosal change secondary to acidic reflux, inducing rapid resolution of symptoms and shortening of the treatment period.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jun-Ook
authors: JO
authors: Park
authors: Mi-Ran
authors: MR
authors: Shim
authors: Yeon-Shin
authors: YS
authors: Hwang
authors: Kwang-Jae
authors: KJ
authors: Cho
authors: Young-Hoon
authors: YH
authors: Joo
authors: Jung-Hae
authors: JH
authors: Cho
authors: Inn-Chul
authors: IC
authors: Nam
authors: Min-Sik
authors: MS
authors: Kim
authors: Dong-Il
authors: DI
authors: Sun
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D057045:Laryngopharyngeal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014833:Voice Quality; D014834:Voice Training
chemical_list: D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors