Using RSI and RFS scores to differentiate between reflux-related and other causes of chronic laryngitis.

Objective: To establish if the Reflux Symptom Index (RFI) and the Reflux Finding Score (RFC) can help establish the differential diagnosis in patients with distinct causes of chronic laryngopharyngitis.

Methods: A group of 102 adult patients with chronic laryngopharyngitis (Group A - 37 patients with allergic rhinitis; Group B - 22 patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA); Group C - 43 patients with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR)) were prospectively studied. Chronic laryngitis was diagnosed based on suggestive symptoms and videolaryngoscopic signs (RSI ≥ 13 and RFS ≥ 7).

Management of laryngopharyngeal reflux in Brazil: a national survey.

Introduction: Studies assessing the management of laryngopharyngeal reflux by otolaryngologists have reported an important heterogeneity regarding the definition, diagnosis, and treatment, which leads to discrepancies in the management of the patient. Information about the current knowledge and practices of Brazilian otolaryngologists in laryngopharyngeal reflux is lacking.

Objective: To investigate the trends in management of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease among Brazilian otolaryngologists.

Validation of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Reflux Finding Score.

Introduction: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) poses a diagnostic challenge. Clinical diagnosis, based on suggestive symptoms and laryngoscopic signs of inflammation, should be acceptable, as long as diligent differential diagnosis is sought. In order to minimize subjectivity, a number of diagnostic instruments have been proposed, being the most common the Reflux Symptom Index and the Reflux Finding Score (RFS).

Temporal Association Between Respiratory Events and Reflux in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Laryngopharyngeal Reflux.

Study Objectives: The aim of the current study was to test the hypothesis that there is a temporal correlation between reflux episodes and respiratory events in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux and obstructive sleep apnea.

Methods: Adults with clinically diagnosed laryngopharyngeal reflux confirmed by two validated instruments (reflux symptom index ≥ 13 and reflux finding score ≥ 7) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) underwent full polysomnography with concomitant and synchronized multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH esophageal monitoring. The apnea-hypopnea and arousal indexes that occurred 15, 30, and 45 minutes before and after each reflux episode were recorded and compared to full-night apnea and hypopnea and arousal index.

Sensitivity, Specificity, and Reproducibility of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Reflux Symptom Index.

Introduction: The diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux is controversial. There is currently no gold standard, so it relies mainly on suspicious clinical symptoms and videolaryngoscopic findings. Unfortunately these signs and symptoms are common to other causes of chronic laryngitis.

Salivary epidermal growth factor concentrations in patients with Sjögren syndrome and laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Sjögren syndrome was chosen as a clinical model to study acinar salivary deficiencies in the development of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). The objective of this prospective cohort study was to compare salivary epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations of patients with Sjögren syndrome with and without LPR and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with normal controls. LPR was diagnosed with positive scores on the Reflux Symptom Index and Reflux and Reflux Finding Score, corroborated by esophagogastroduodenoscopy and/or 24-hour pH-metry.

Salivary transforming growth factor alpha in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and reflux laryngitis.

Introduction: Saliva plays a key role in the homeostasis of the digestive tract, through its inorganic components and its protein growth factors. Sjögren's syndrome patients have a higher prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease and laryngopharyngeal reflux. Decreased salivary transforming growth factor alpha levels were observed in dyspeptic patients, but there have been no studies in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Salivary concentration of epidermal growth factor in adults with reflux laryngitis before and after treatment.

Objectives: The diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is controversial. There is no correlation between the number of reflux episodes and the severity of the inflammatory response at the esophagus or the laryngopharyngeal segment. Some authors have suggested that decreased salivary epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and LPR point to a breakdown in the local defenses.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia in patients with multiple sclerosis: do the disease classification scales reflect dysphagia severity?

Unlabelled: Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that involves swallowing disorders. Many studies have shown an association between neurological and swallowing performance, but results have been conflicting.

Objective: To identify the frequency of dysphagia in patients with multiple sclerosis and neurological indicators that can represent the performance of swallowing.

Translation and cultural adaptation of the Reflux Finding Score into Brazilian Portuguese.

Unlabelled: The supraesophageal manifestations of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease commonly known as Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) are highly prevalent. The diagnosis of LPR is challenging and mostly based on suggestive symptoms and signs of inflammation at the larynx and pharynx. In order to decrease the subjectivity of clinical assessment, a score based on endolaryngeal videolaryngoscopic findings, the Reflux Finding Score (RFS), was proposed by Belafasky et al.

pH salivary analysis of subjects suffering from Sjögren's syndrome and laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Unlabelled: Saliva is one of the components for the digestive homeostasis. Recent studies have shown that patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) present a drop in salivary pH. Patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) are a potential clinical research model for xerostomia and its laryngeal and pharyngeal consequences.

Clinical significance of a hearing and imaging workup in a child with cochlear nerve aplasia and a normal internal auditory canal.

Modern magnetic resonance imaging has significantly improved the diagnosis of cochlear nerve deficiencies. A careful assessment of all clinical, imaging, and auditory data is of utmost importance in such cases in order to properly establish the site of the abnormality. We report the case of a 3-year-old girl with unilateral cochlear nerve aplasia, normal middle and inner ear anatomy, and an absence of otoacoustic emissions, all of which erroneously suggested cochlear damage.

Unsuspected intraoperative finding of structural abnormalities associated with vocal fold polyps.

Objectives: To report the findings of unsuspected underlying concurrent abnormalities of the vocal fold (VF) associated with polyps.

Study Design And Setting: Retrospective chart review at tertiary teaching institution.

Subjects And Methods: Operative and clinical notes of 81 adults submitted to suspension laryngoscopy for vocal fold polyp (VFP) excision from 1998 to 2007, which had no previous report of associated structural abnormalities.

Study of wound healing in rats treated with topical and injected mitomycin C.

Objectives: Mitomycin C, a widely used chemotherapeutic drug, has been proposed as a potential adjuvant for the control of scar tissue in surgical wounds because of its capacity to inhibit fibroblast proliferation. The current study used a combination of topical and injected mitomycin C to slow the healing process of surgical wounds in rats.

Methods: An experimental model of surgical wounding at the dorsum of rats was used.

[Incidence of structural vocal fold abnormalities associated with vocal fold polyps.

Unlabelled: Phonotrauma is considered the main cause of vocal fold polyps (VFP). However, the authors believe that an underlying anatomical deviation could render the vocal folds more susceptible to such trauma.

Aim: To prove this hypothesis a retrospective chart review was carried out to correlate the surgical findings of patients with VFP.

Auditory voice-perception analysis sensitivity and specificity in the screening of laryngeal disorders.

Unlabelled: Despite the growing experience obtained from the National Pro-Voice Campaigns in screening individuals with laryngeal alterations, we still have not established which would be the best assessment method: speech and hearing screening alone, laryngoscopy alone, or a joint work with physicians and speech therapists doing the screening together.

Aim: the goal of the present study was to assess the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the auditory voice-perception analysis compared to videolaryngoscopy as a screening method for individuals with laryngo-pharyngeal disorders.

Materials And Methods: We compared the vocal aspects (GRBASI scale, pitch, loudness, CPF and resonance) and videolaryngoscopic from 567 individuals who participated in the National Pro-Voice Campaign 2005 in a tertiary university hospital.

Laryngeal electromyography in adults with Parkinson's disease and voice complaints.

Objective: To study the laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) pattern in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and vocal complaints.

Study Design And Setting: Twenty-six adults with PD and vocal complaints and 26 controls with presbyphonia underwent videolaryngoscopy (VL) and LEMG.

Results: No tremor was found on LEMG of the cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscles, even in cases with clinical and VL tremor.

Comparative study of salivary pH and volume in adults with chronic laryngopharyngitis by gastroesophageal reflux disease before and after treatment.

Introduction: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is the most prevalent digestive disease of the modern society and has been associated with abnormalities in the larynx and pharynx (LPR). Nonetheless, little is known about the mechanisms involved in this atypical form of the disease. Contradictory clinical data suggest a defense deficit at this segment.

Is there a relationship between the pH and volume of saliva and esophageal pH-metry results?

There are several implications in the buffer capacity and in the protective role of saliva in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and other digestive disorders. The lack of knowledge about the production and quality of saliva and the fact that saliva plays an important role in digestive homeostasis motivated the authors to study the relationship between reflux measured by esophageal pH-metry and the pH and volume of saliva in individuals with GERD and its laryngopharyngeal manifestations (LPR). The study was designed as a randomized clinical trial.