Diagnostik von refluxbedingten Beschwerden im HNO-Bereich mittels 2-Kanal-pH-Metrie

Abstract

Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may suffer from a large variety of symptoms in the upper aerodigestive tract such as globus sensation, chronic cough, hoarseness and many others. Diagnosis and causal therapy may sometimes be difficult with gastroenterologic evaluation sometimes revealing no pathologic result. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of 24-hour intraesophageal pH monitoring with 2 channels (gastric and laryngeal) in the diagnosis of reflux-induced otolaryngologic disorders. This study included 22 patients presenting to the Department of Otolaryngology with symptoms like chronic cough (n = 3), globus sensation and dysphagia (n = 11), heartburn (n = 2), hoarseness and dysphonia (n = 2) or burning sensation of the tongue (n = 1). Three patients had a pathologic formation in the glottic area (leukoplakia, granuloma, polyp). All patients underwent a otolaryngological examination, a gastroenterological investigation and a 24-hour intraesophageal pH monitoring with 2 channels. All 22 patients showed laryngeal mucosal lesions (posterior laryngitis). The gastroenterological evaluation with esophagogastroduodenoscopy was normal in 4 cases. 13 patients showed a hiatal hernia, 4 patients were suffering from a reflux-esophagitis grade I and 2 patients from grade II. One patient had an erythema and 5 patients showed erosions of the gastric mucosa. Seven patients had more than one of the above mentioned diagnoses. Intraesophageal pH-monitoring with 2 channels over 24 hours revealed a gastroesophageal reflux of all 22 patients and a high reflux to the laryngeal level of 21 patients, probably causing laryngopharyngeal symptoms. Therapy of the patients consisted of medical antireflux treatment with proton pump inhibitor esomeprazol (Nexium, 40 mg, 1-0-0). Within 4 weeks 15 of 22 patients had no more laryngopharyngeal symptoms or at least a significant reduction. Patients with laryngopharyngeal symptoms such as hoarseness, globus sensation or dysphagia can suffer from GERD, even if typical symptoms such as heartburn or retrosternal pain do not exist and gastroesophageal intervention reveals a normal result. The best diagnostic instrument for the diagnosis of reflux-induced otolaryngologic disorders is a 24-hour intraesophageal pH-monitoring with 2 channels (measure-points at the distal esophagus and laryngeal level). Medical antireflux treatment should consist of proton pump inhibitors (e. g. Nexium) in a dose of 40 mg per day over at least 4 weeks.