Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been associated with posterior laryngitis by studies performed in the United States and Europe. Posterior laryngitis manifests as pooling of saliva in the piriform sinus, reddening of the arytenoid, and laryngeal granuloma. Esophagoscopy was performed and symptoms such as heartburn and eructations were investigated in 24 patients who complained of abnormal laryngopharyngeal sensations and had laryngeal and hypopharyngeal findings such as those mentioned above. Damage to the esophageal mucosa (reflux esophagitis) was observed in 14 of the 24 patients (62.5%), and many symptoms suggestive of gastroesophageal reflux were present even in patients with normal esophageal findings.
Esophagitis improved, as did the abnormal laryngeal and hypopharyngeal findings, in all of these patients after treatment with the proton-pump inhibitor lansoprazole, the most effective drug for reflux esophagitis presently available.
Patients who complained of abnormal laryngopharyngeal sensations but had no esophageal mucosal damage were stratified based on the presence or absence of abnormal laryngeal and hypopharyngeal findings. This analysis revealed a significantly greater number of symptoms suggestive of GERD, such as heartburn and eructations, in the group with abnormal findings.
