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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Salivary Glands for Sjogren's Syndrome: Diagnostic and Monitoring Insights
Published on: October 13, 2023
Role of salivary function in patients with globus pharyngeus
Chung-Hwan Baek1, Man Ki Chung, Joon Young Choi
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 135-710, Korea.
Background:
Our aim was to investigate the prevalence and the clinical role of salivary hypofunction in patients with globus sensation.
Methods:
We conducted a prospective observational study in 340 patients with globus pharyngeus. A standard questionnaire and (99m)Tc-pertechnate salivary scintigraphy were used to evaluate salivary hypofunction, with a full examination from the nasal cavity to the larynx (N = 303). We also investigated the effect of xerostomia management on globus symptoms (N = 252).
Results:
The symptom scores for xerostomia were higher in patients with severe globus (p < .05). Objective salivary hypofunction was noted in 57.4% of the patients, based on the reference values from control groups. Globus symptoms were more severe in the subgroup with salivary hypofunction (p = .0447). Conservative management of xerostomia significantly reduced the severity of globus at 1 and 3 months (p = .0002) regardless of salivary function.
Conclusions:
Salivary hypofunction seems to be an aggravating factor in globus pharyngeus, but not a direct cause. Conservative management of xerostomia improves globus symptoms.
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