Gastroesophageal reflux and posterior laryngitis

Esophageal acid exposure was assessed by 23-hour ambulatory pH monitoring and compared with a biopsy of the posterior larynx and proximal esophagus in 97 patients with hoarseness, burning pharyngeal discomfort, or globus sensation. Patient results were compared with normal acid exposure times obtained in 54 control subjects. In 24 patients there were laryngeal abnormalities but both esophageal biopsy results and acid exposure times were normal. Laryngeal disease was found in association with prolonged acid exposure time or esophagitis in only 17 of the 97 patients (17.5%) studied. Recent reports appear to have overestimated the importance of acid reflux as a cause of posterior laryngitis.