Correlation of obstructive sleep apnoea and laryngopharyngeal reflux: phmetry study

Objective To study the correlation of obstructive sleep apnoea ( OSA ) and laryngopharyngeal reflux ( LPR ). Design A descriptive study. Setting Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia, Egypt. Patients 62 patients with polysomnography confirmed OSA . Intervention Patients were evaluated with ambulatory 24‐h double channel pH monitoring. Results Mean reflux symptom index in the study group was 9 ± 5.5, and it was > 13 in all patients with severe OSA . Signs of LPR reflux were present in 34 (55%) patients. Abnormal reflux was detected in the distal oesophagus in 41 patients (66%) and in the proximal oesophagus in 21 patients (34%). Patients with severe OSA had significantly higher nocturnal LPR reflux episodes compared to patients with mild disease ( P < .05). Number of reflux episodes and total duration of reflux during sleep are significantly correlated to degree of OSA ( P < .05). No difference was found in relation to age or sex. Daytime reflux was not related to the degree of obstructive sleep apnoea ( P > .05). Conclusion LPR is common in patients with OSA . Patients with severe OSA have significantly higher nocturnal LPR . This should be considered when treating this group of patients.