article · Egyptian Journal of Ear Nose Throat and Allied Sciences
Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease diagnosis often involves questionnaire assessment using the Reflux Symptoms Score -12 alongside physical examination evaluated by the Reflux Finding Score. A cross-sectional clinical study examined 105 patients presenting with typical gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms and clinical indications of laryngopharyngeal reflux based on a questionnaire score above 11. Among these individuals, only 14.2 percent met the visual diagnostic threshold for reflux disease on the Reflux Finding Score. Furthermore, 15.2 percent exhibited laryngeal abnormalities unrelated to reflux. Statistical analysis showed that questionnaire scores and symptom duration strongly correlate with the presence of abnormal laryngeal findings in general, but do not correlate with the Reflux Finding Score itself. Therefore, while patient questionnaires effectively identify the likelihood of laryngeal abnormalities, they cannot confirm a definitive diagnosis of reflux disease.
Patients reporting reflux and throat symptoms frequently receive diagnoses based solely on clinical questionnaires. Demonstrating that subjective symptom scores do not match objective physical examination findings helps prevent misdiagnosis and inappropriate medication. It also underscores the importance of specialist visual assessment to identify potentially unrelated laryngeal disorders that might otherwise go untreated.
These findings directly inform clinical triage protocols and developers of digital screening tools for ear, nose, and throat clinics. Because questionnaire data cannot reliably confirm reflux on its own, software solutions must position symptom trackers as preliminary screening tools rather than stand-alone diagnostic platforms. This clinical research is already applied to patient practice, demonstrating that hardware-assisted visual examinations remain essential before initiating targeted therapies.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Background and Aim: The reflux symptoms score -12 (RSS-12) is a validated questionnaire with good sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD). However, the correlation between RSS-12 and reflux finding score (RFS) in patients with clinical symptoms suggesting LPR has not been investigated. In this study, we examined such correlation.Patients and Methods: We conducted cohort cross sectional study over 6 months duration on 105 patients with typical gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and clinical diagnosis of LPR based on RSS-12 >11. We excluded participants with medical conditions or lifestyle habits that could induce similar symptoms.Results: The prevalence of LPRD (RFS > 7) in patients with a clinical diagnosis of LPR (RSS > 11) was 14.2% (15 patients). Laryngeal findings unrelated to LPRD were present in 16 patients (15.2%). RSS-12 and duration of symptoms are strongly correlated with the existence of abnormal laryngeal findings but not with RFS.Conclusion: In patients with clinical symptoms suggesting LPR, RSS-12 can predict the existence of abnormal laryngeal findings but not the diagnosis of LPRD.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.21608/ejentas.2025.362703.1823
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
