INCIDENCE OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI IN PATIENTS WITH LARYNGOPHARYNGEAL REFLUX DISEASE, AND ITS CORRELATION WITH SYMPTOM SEVERITY

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the Incidence of Helicobacter Pylori infection in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux disease and whether the severity of symptoms in positive H. pylori patients is different than negative H. pylori patients. Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease (LPRD) implies a backward of part of the stomach contents up the throat. The literature has reported a relationship between reflux esophagitis with Helicobacter pylori infection but not yet with reflux laryngitis. Methods: 483 patients with atypical symptoms of LFRD were subjected to laryngoscopic evaluation, ambulatory 24 hours pH monitoring and HpSA test. Results: an incidence of HpSA positive test was 64% among the study population. There is no significant difference between hoarseness of voice, chronic unexplained cough, feeling of a lump in throat, frequent throat clearing, bad/bitter taste in mouth with HpSA test results. Also there was no significant difference between the mean intensity, frequency and indices of the symptoms with the HpSA test results Conclusion: The incidence of the H. pylori infection in patients with LFRD in our study was 64%, statistical analysis did not reveal significant difference in symptom severity among patients, the questionable role of H pylori infection is discussed