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Updated: May 9, 2026
06:46
Simultaneous Laryngopharyngeal and Conventional Esophageal pH Monitoring
Published on: December 14, 2020
Laryngopharyngeal reflux and primary snoring: a pilot case-control study.
N Charaklias1, C Mamais, V Pothula
1Otolaryngology Department, Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust, Wigan WN1 2NN, United Kingdom.
B-ENT
|August 6, 2013
Summary
Primary snoring patients are significantly more likely to experience laryngopharyngeal reflux. This suggests reflux may contribute to snoring, even without obstructive sleep apnea.
Area of Science:
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Gastroenterology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is a suspected factor in sleep-related breathing disorders.
- The association between LPR and primary snoring, without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), remains under-investigated.
- This study explores the potential link between primary snoring and LPR.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between primary snoring and the presence of laryngopharyngeal reflux.
- To determine if LPR is a contributing factor in primary snoring independent of OSA.
Main Methods:
- A matched case-control study was conducted in a UK Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) outpatient setting.
- 26 patients with primary snoring (cases) were matched with 26 controls based on age, gender, and BMI.
- Prevalence of LPR was assessed using the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) score; exclusion criteria applied to both groups.
Main Results:
- Patients presenting with primary snoring showed a significantly higher likelihood of reporting RSI scores above 13.
- Primary snorers were fourteen times more likely to report elevated RSI scores compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Laryngopharyngeal reflux may play a role in the pathogenesis of primary snoring.
- This association exists even in the absence of obstructive sleep apnea.
- The findings provide Level 3b evidence for LPR's involvement in primary snoring.
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