Open AccessLaryngopharyngeal symptoms in patients with asthma: a cross‐sectional controlled study
Author(s) -
Hamdan Abdul Latif,
Jaffal Hussein,
Btaiche Rachel,
Turfe Zaahir A.,
Bawab Ibrahim,
Kanj Nadim,
Tamim Hani
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the clinical respiratory journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.789
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1752-699X
pISSN - 1752-6981
DOI - 10.1111/crj.12179
Subject(s) - medicine , laryngopharyngeal reflux , asthma , allergy , cross sectional study , pulmonary function testing , disease , gastroenterology , reflux , immunology , pathology
Objective To examine the frequency and severity of laryngopharyngeal symptoms in asthmatic patients. The role of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease as a co‐morbid disease to asthma has not been previously reported. Subjects and Method Seventy‐two subjects, 36 asthmatics and 36 controls were included in this study. Demographic data included age, gender, status of asthma, use of steroid inhalers, smoking and history of allergy. Pulmonary function test was reported in 13 subjects. The evaluation consisted of filling the R eflux S ymptom I ndex ( RSI ) described by B elafsky et al . The total score, frequency and average score of each laryngopharyngeal symptom was computed in both groups. Results The mean age of patients was 46.61 ± 17.59 years with a female to male ratio of 2.3:1. Twenty patients were using steroid inhalers. Close to one third were smokers (30.6%) and 55.6% had allergic rhinitis. Thirty‐six percent had controlled asthma vs 64% were uncontrolled. The mean of the total RSI was significantly higher in patients compared with controls (12.03 ± 8.3 vs 6.64 ± 6.08, P value < 0.05). In the asthmatic group, 15 subjects had a positive RSI compared with only 4 in the control group ( P value of 0.003). There was a significant difference in the prevalence and means of four laryngopharyngeal symptoms in patients vs controls. Conclusion Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease is more prevalent and more severe in patients with asthma vs controls.