Abstract
We tried to clarify the differences between two types of extraesophageal manifestations, cough and globus sensation, in gastroesophageal reflux disease by analyzing both the pre-treatment questionnaire and symptom diaries. Patients who were treated in various ways as gastroesophageal reflux disease and recovered from their symptoms were enrolled in the group of patients suffering form gastroesophageal reflux disease. The patients in the cough group (n=32), whose chief complaints were cough symptoms, had a significantly more frequent drinking habit (p<0.05) but less frequent experiences of heat burn in comparison to the patients in the laryngoesophageal group. In comparison to the patients in the cough group, the patients in the laryngoesophageal group (n=20), whose chief complaints were globus sensations, felt more frequent belching and more frequent regurgitation. However, the patients in the laryngoesophageal group also felt less frequent heart burn, even though the total number of heart burn experiences were found more frequently in this group. Both symptoms were observed in more than 75% cases in both groups. In addition, 93% cases in the cough group felt relatively-mild globus sensations in comparison to their chief complaints. In contrast, 41% cases in the laryngoesophageal group felt cough as well or worse severity of chief complaints. As the chief complaints improved, the other symptoms also tended to improve in more than 80% of all cases in both groups.
