Gastroesophageal reflux disease and laryngeal symptoms. Is there really a causal relationship?

The frequencies of laryngeal symptoms and smoking habits were investigated in 60 patients referred to 24-hour pH-metry because of esophagus-related symptoms. Group 1 comprised 30 consecutively referred patients who exhibited pathological gastroesophageal reflux by pH-metry, and group 2 comprised 30 consecutively referred patients who showed normal pH-metry. The patients, as well as 30 age-matched controls (not investigated by pH-metry), answered a questionnaire about voice problems and smoking habits. The 60 patients reported a frequency of voice problems comparable to the 30 controls. The various voice problems did not differ significantly in frequency between refluxers and patients with a normal reflux pattern in spite of the fact that there were significantly more smokers among the refluxers compared to nonrefluxers. We concluded that voice problems were not more common among patients with abnormal reflux patterns than among patients with a normal reflux defence.