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Acid reflux treatment for hoarseness.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|January 27, 2006
Summary
This review found no randomized controlled trials evaluating anti-reflux therapy for hoarseness. Further high-quality research is needed to determine the effectiveness of these treatments for voice disorders.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Gastroenterology
- Evidence-based medicine
Background:
- Acid reflux affects 4-10% of ENT clinic patients.
- Up to 55% of hoarseness (dysphonia) cases may stem from laryngopharyngeal reflux.
- Anti-reflux therapy is often empirically used for unexplained hoarseness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess anti-reflux therapy effectiveness for hoarseness without other causes.
- Included both medical and surgical interventions.
- Focused on randomized controlled studies.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of multiple databases (Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE).
- Searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of patients with hoarseness.
- Inclusion criteria required hoarseness as a primary symptom without other identifiable laryngeal causes.
Main Results:
- 302 potential studies identified; none met all inclusion criteria.
- Six RCTs involving proton pump inhibitors were excluded due to unclear hoarseness prevalence.
- No firm conclusions on anti-reflux therapy effectiveness for hoarseness can be drawn.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant need for high-quality RCTs.
- Evaluate the efficacy of anti-reflux therapy for hoarseness.
- Specifically for cases potentially related to laryngopharyngeal and gastro-esophageal reflux.