“An Oropharyngeal pH Monitoring Device to Evaluate Patients with Chronic Laryngitis”
September 8, 2017“The Value of Routine pH Monitoring in the Diagnosis and Treatment of LPR”
September 8, 2017Beaver ME, Karow CM. J Laryngol Voice. 2012;2(2):60-3.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the contribution of 24 hour pharyngeal pH monitoring of patient presenting with symptoms of hoarseness, globus, throat clearing, and sore throat.
RESULTS: 71 studies (43%) were normal with zero events below pH 5.5. 32 studies (19%), or 33% of all positive studies showed supine pharyngeal reflux only. 46 studies or 48% of all positive studies showed combination upright daytime reflux events and supine reflux. 18 studies or 19% of all positive studies had only upright events. There was no significant difference in presenting symptoms, symptom duration, or severity scores in the patients that had negative vs. positive pharyngeal pH studies.
CONCLUSION: 24 hour pharyngeal pH study eliminates the diagnosis of reflux in a significant percentage of patients with hoarseness. Severity or duration of symptoms of hoarseness, globus, or throat clearing does not reliably predict presence of reflux.