title: [A study of the pepsin in the sputum for diagnosis and treatment evaluation of laryngopharyngeal reflux].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the value of the pepsin in the sputum for diagnosing and evaluating the effectiveness of treatment of laryngopharyngeal reflux.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six patients with the symptoms of dry pharynx, globus pharyngeus, excessive throat clearing, chronic cough and so on were divided into laryngopharyngeal reflux group and chronic laryngitis group by the results of therapeutic trial taking proton pump inhibitors for 3 months. The estimation of the reflux symptom index (RSI), the reflux finding score (RFS) and the detection of pepsin in the sputum were done before and after the treatment. The difference between two groups and the value of the pepsin were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant decreasing in RSI, RFS and pepsin level (P < 0.01) after the treatment in all patients. There were statistical differences between the laryngopharyngeal reflux group and the chronic laryngitis group in the changes of RSI and pepsin level (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pepsin level in the sputum might be used as a objective, effective method for diagnosing and evaluating the effectiveness in laryngopharyngeal reflux.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xijing Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
authors.forename: Shukui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Xiaona
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zong
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Wenjuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057045:Laryngopharyngeal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010434:Pepsin A / Q000032:analysis*; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010434:Pepsin A