Laryngeal morphological changes due to gastroesophageal reflux disease.

ABSTRACT

UNLABELLED Chronic laryngitis may have life impact on professional voice users. Besides smoking and excessive alcohol intake, GERD is a determiniing factor in the etiology of dysphonia. AIM: To evaluate the laryngeal alteration due to GERD in professional voice users. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 96 vocal professionals (teachers, actors, singers and priests), 58 males and 38 females, with a mean age of 38.3 +/- 7.5 years, presented for chronic laryngeal symptoms. The patients filled out a standardized questionnaire and were examined laryngoscopically. RESULTS: Laryngeal changes were scaled 0 (absence) to 7 (maximum) - arytenoid edema (5.07 +/- 1.08), interarytenoid edema (6.18 +/- 1.12), vocal folds edema (5.67 +/- 1.04), ventricular bands edema (4.96 +/- 0.97), laryngeal edema 4.12 +/- 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: Laryngoscopic changes may suggest the concomitance of GERD in professional voice users with dysphonia.