Limited Diagnostic Value of Laryngopharyngeal Lesions in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux During Routine Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Background & Aims: There is growing evidence that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may cause typical pharyngeal/laryngeal findings secondary to tissue irritation. The prevalence of those findings in GERD patients, is not well established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of GERD signs in the laryngopharyngeal area during routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Methods: Between July 2000 and July 2001, 1209 patients underwent 1311 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies and were enrolled in this study. These patients underwent a careful structured examination of the laryngopharyngeal area d…