Design and implementation of an ambulatory pH monitoring protocol in patients with suspected laryngopharyngeal reflux

OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: Adding a hypopharyngeal sensor to esophageal pH monitoring has been advocated for laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). However, selecting the proper pH catheter is problematic because esophageal lengths are variable among individuals. OBJECTIVE: To design and implement a new pH monitoring protocol for LPR. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: Design parameters were defined prospectively: single-probe, triple-sensor pH catheter with sensors located in the hypopharynx (1-3 cm above upper esophageal sphincter) and in proximal and distal esophagus (20 cm and 5 cm above lower esophageal sphincter, respectively). Esophageal lengths were determined in a study population undergoing esophageal manometry. Optimal pH sensor spacings were determined using the least number of catheters to satisfy the design parameters. The protocol was implemented in consecutive subjects with suspected LPR. RESULTS: Distribution of esophageal lengths was determined in 1,043 subjects. In 92% of the study population, three pH catheters (3-15, 6-15, and 9-15 sensor-spacings) would satisfy the design criteria. Forty-one subjects with suspected LPR underwent the pH protocol. An abnormal pH test was found in 40 subjects (98%) with triple-sensor combination compared with 29 subjects (71%) if only dual esophageal sensors were used. CONCLUSIONS: Single-probe pH monitoring of the hypopharynx and esophagus was feasible. Adding a hypopharyngeal pH sensor increased the detection of abnormal acid reflux more often than traditional dual-sensor esophageal pH monitoring.     

口咽pH监测技术在咽喉反流性疾病诊断中的应用

咽喉反流性疾病越来越普遍和受到重视,但是咽喉反流的诊断和机制存在很多争议,目前即使作为诊断金标准的24小时多通道腔内阻抗联合pH监测也存在很多问题,本文就一种新型的口咽监测技术做一综述.     

双探头24小时pH监测对咽喉反流的诊断价值及特点

目的对咽喉反流患者用食道测压定位法行双探头24小时pH监测,探讨其诊断价值及特点。方法对53例疑咽喉反流患者用食道测压定位法行双探头24小时pH监测同时用反流症状指数量表(reflux symptom index,RSI)、反流检查计分量表(reflux finding score,RFS)2个量表评估。结果 53例患者中31例咽喉反流阳性,与吸烟有相关性。RSI中以声嘶、咽异物感、持续清嗓为主要症状,RFS中以后连合增生、假声带沟、喉内黏液附着为主要体征。咽喉部酸反流主要发生在直立位,其中9例患者只有咽喉反流性疾病,10例只有胃食管反流性疾病;酸反流次数、酸暴露时间(即pH<4.0的总时间)与2个量表的评估有显著性差异。咽喉部pH监测结果与2个量表评估结果程度一致。结论咽喉反流性疾病可不伴发胃食管反流性疾病,减少酸反流次数及减少酸在咽喉部停留时间在治疗疾病中较为重要,RSI和RFS 2个量表可作为咽喉反流性疾病诊断的初筛。     

Sensitive pepsin immunoassay for detection of laryngopharyngeal reflux

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To determine whether measurement of pepsin in throat sputum by immunoassay could be used as a sensitive and reliable method for detecting laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) compared with 24-hour double-probe (esophageal and pharyngeal) pH monitoring. STUDY DESIGN: Patients with clinical LPR undergoing pH monitoring provided throat sputum samples during the reflux-testing period for pepsin measurement using enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay. RESULTS: Pepsin assay results from 63 throat sputum samples obtained from 23 study subjects were compared with their pH monitoring data. Twenty-two percent (14/63) of the sputum samples correlated the presence of pepsin with LPR (pH < or = 4 at the pharyngeal probe), of which the median concentration of pepsin was 0.18 microg/mL (range 0.003-22 microg/mL). Seventy-eight percent (49/63) of the samples unassociated with (pharyngeal) reflux contained no detectible pepsin. Mean pH values for pepsin-positive samples were significantly lower than negative samples at both esophageal probe (pH 2.2 vs. pH 5.0) (P < .01) and the pharyngeal probe (pH 4.4 vs. pH 5.8) (P < .01). When the pepsin assay results were compared with the pharyngeal pH data for detecting reflux (events pH < or = 4), the pepsin immunoassay was 100% sensitive and 89% specific for LPR. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of pepsin in throat sputum by immunoassay appears to provide a sensitive, noninvasive method to detect LPR.     

Utility of 24-hour pharyngeal pH monitoring and clinical feature in laryngopharyngeal reflux disease

Background: pH monitoring can reflect the changes in H⁺ in the airway.

Objectives: To explore the utility of pharyngeal pH monitoring in the diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD).

Material and methods: Clinical data from 956 suspected LPRD patients from February 2016 to March 2018 were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: One hundred forty-one patients had positive Ryan score. The positive rates of reflux symptom index (RSI), reflux finding score (RFS), RSI and RFS and RSI or RFS were 14.7%, 32.5%, 21.9%, 7.8% and 46.5%, respectively. The RFS in the positive Ryan score group was higher than that in the negative Ryan score group [(6?±?3.5) vs. (4.8?±?2.9)], while the RSI was not significantly different from that in the negative Ryan score group [(10.9?±?8) vs. (11.3?±?7.1)]. Regarding Ryan score as the gold standard in the diagnosis of LPRD, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of identifying LPRD by RSI/RFS were 15.9%, 86.3%, 50.4% and 54%, respectively.

Conclusions: Ryan score, RSI and RFS have poor correlation in detecting LPRD. Some patients may be missed with the Ryan score as a diagnostic criterion.

Significance: Pharyngeal pH monitoring is useful and more appropriate index is expected.     

Is pseudosulcus alone a reliable sign of gastroesophago‐pharyngeal reflux?

Is pseudosulcus alone a reliable sign of gastroesophago‐pharyngeal reflux? To investigate if laryngeal pseudosulcus (bilateral infraglottic oedema) is a reliable sign of pharyngeal reflux, the video recordings of 59 patients and 18 controls were examined off‐line by two phoniatricians. Eleven video segments were duplicated for calculation of intrarater reliability. The frequency of pseudosulcus was correlated to the results of 24‐h double‐probe pH monitoring. The intrarater reliability was moderate (K = 0.582; P = 0.005). The sensitivity of pseudosulcus in the diagnosis of pharyngeal reflux among the patients was 30% and among the controls it was 0%. The positive predictive value (PPV) of pseudosulcus for patients with pharyngeal and laryngeal symptoms was 67%, while for the controls it was 0%. The negative predictive value (NPV) of pseudosulcus for patients with pharyngeal or laryngeal symptoms was 32% and for the controls it was 64%. The single finding of pseudosulcus is not a very sensitive predictor of pharyngeal reflux but if the patient has laryngeal symptoms and a pseudsulcus, the probability that the patient has pharyngeal reflux is almost 70%.     

The role of laryngopharyngeal reflux as a risk factor in laryngeal cancer: a preliminary report

Objectives

To evaluate the significance of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) as a risk factor in laryngeal cancer.

Methods

We performed a case-control study with 29 consecutive laryngeal cancer patients who had undergone 24-hour ambulatory double pH monitoring from 2003 to 2006. The control group included 300 patients who had undergone 24-hour ambulatory double pH monitoring due to LPR-related symptoms. We analyzed the prevalence of LPR and numerous parameters from the 24-hour ambulatory double pH monitoring in the laryngeal cancer patient and control groups. Pathologic LPR is defined when more than three episodes of LPR occur in 24 hours.

Results

The prevalence of pathologic LPR was significantly higher in the laryngeal cancer group than the control group (P=0.049). The reflux number of the upper probe was significantly higher in the laryngeal cancer group (P<0.001). However the effects of pathologic LPR on laryngeal cancer risk were diluted after adjusting for smoking and alcohol consumption in the multivariable logistic regression.

Conclusion

The pathologic LPR might be a possible risk factor in the development of laryngeal cancer. A further study should be necessary to verify the exact role of LPR in laryngeal cancer.