Ambulatory PH monitoring in patients with reflux laryngitis

ABSTRACT

In this study, 22 patients [group A] with reflux laryngitis detected by clinical evaluation and laryngoscope were examined by esophagoscope and ambulatory pH monitoring. Eight patients [group B] with heartburn without extraesophageal manifestations of GERD were taken as control group and underwent esophagoscopy and pH monitoring. The results of endoscopic examination revealed that only 40% of patients in group A had esophagitis evident by esophagoscope and only 37% had esophagitis in group B. Abnormal distal esophageal acid exposure was detected by pH-metry in 73% and 86% of patients in group A in both upright and supine positions, respectively, while there were 50% and 63% of patients having abnormal distal esophageal acid exposure in group B in upright and supine positions, respectively. There was significantly increased proximal and distal esophageal acid exposure time in supine position in group A than in group B. Total esophageal acid clearance time was significantly longer [median 2.3 minutes] in group A than in group B [median 1.1 minutes]