Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 8, 2026
Simultaneous Laryngopharyngeal and Conventional Esophageal pH Monitoring
Published on: December 14, 2020
The Reliability of the Reflux Finding Score Among General Otolaryngologists
Brent A Chang1, S Danielle MacNeil1, Murray D Morrison1
1Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Background:
The reflux finding score (RFS) is a validated clinical severity scale for findings of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) on fiberoptic laryngoscopy. To our knowledge, there have been no studies to determine whether severity of patient symptoms influence the RFS; in addition, the reliability of the RFS has not been tested for general otolaryngologists.
Objectives:
The objectives of this study were (1) to determine whether the RFS for LPR is influenced by symptoms of reflux and (2) to determine the inter-rater reliability for general otolaryngologists in diagnosing LPR using the RFS.
Methods:
Ten general otolaryngologists were selected to participate. Participants were asked to complete an Internet survey consisting of flexible endoscopic videos of larynges with varying physical findings of reflux and grade the severity of reflux using the RFS. The videos were randomly shown with and without accompanying patient symptoms.
Results:
Our data suggest that patient symptoms influence the RFS. Inter-rater reliability for general otolaryngologists using the RFS is fair.
Conclusions:
Among general otolaryngologists in our study, the reliability and objectivity of the RFS in diagnosing reflux cannot be demonstrated.
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