title: Role of laryngoscopy in children with respiratory complaints and suspected reflux.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) in children has been taken into consideration.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the laryngoscopic findings in children diagnosed LPR and/or gastro-oesophageal reflux (GERD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The findings of 49 patients with at least one or more respiratory complaint such as chronic cough, wheezing, hoarseness, recurrent laryngitis, and throat clearing/postnasal discharge suggesting LPR were evaluated retrospectively. The diagnosis of LPR+GERD or GERD was done by the clinical history and 24 h double-probe pH monitoring and/or scintigraphy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty eight out of 49 patients examined by laryngoscopy underwent 24 h double-probe pH monitoring and/or scintigraphy. Thirty of them were diagnosed as LPR+GERD or GERD by any test positivity. Twelve of 30 patients diagnosed with LPR+GERD or GERD had a positive laryngeal finding on the examination of fibre optic laryngoscopy. The most common finding with eight cases was arytenoid erythema A sensitivity of 40% and specificity of 50% for the laryngoscopy in the diagnosis of LPR/GERD were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In children with unexplained respiratory symptoms, laryngopharyngeal reflux should be suspected. Therefore, until enough data on this issue in the literature accumulates, the history and the laboratory findings of the patients obtained from various techniques to document paediatric LPR should be evaluated together.
authors: Dr. Sami Ulus Research and Training Hospital of Women's and Children's Health and Diseases, Clinic of Pediatric Allergy and Asthma, Ankara, Turkey. serapozmen@yahoo.com
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Ozmen
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Demirceken
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Barut
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Dibek Misirlioglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D057045:Laryngopharyngeal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity