TY - JOUR
T1 - Pharyngeal pH probe findings in patients with postnasal drainage
AU - Loehrl, Todd A.
AU - Smith, Timothy L.
AU - Merati, Albert
AU - Torrico-Brusky, Laura
AU - Hoffman, Raymond G.
AU - Toohill, Robert J.
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - Background: Patients commonly present with complaints of postnasal drainage (PND). This study reports the pharyngeal pH probe findings in patients without rhinitis/rhinosinusitis who present with complaints of PND. Methods: This is a prospective study of patients presenting with PND but no historical or endoscopic evidence of rhinitis/rhinosinusitis. Twenty-four-hour pharyngeal pH probe studies were done on 32 consecutive patients and compared with historical controls. Results: There were a total of 32 patients with PND (mean age, 54 years) and 51 controls (mean age, 49 years). The proportion of patients with positive pH probe studies was higher in PND (28.1%) versus controls (17.6%) but did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.27). However, when comparing the mean number of pharyngeal acid exposure events, patients with PND had significantly more events (1.6) than controls (0.3; p < 0.002). In addition, the mean acid exposure time was significantly higher in PND (0.18%) versus controls (0.01%; p < 0.004). Conclusion: The proportion of patients with PND displaying positive pharyngeal 24 pH probe studies is not significantly greater than controls. However, patients with PND do exhibit a statistically greater degree of pharyngeal acid exposure as compared with controls. Additional research is required to delineate the role of pharyngeal reflux in patients with PND.
AB - Background: Patients commonly present with complaints of postnasal drainage (PND). This study reports the pharyngeal pH probe findings in patients without rhinitis/rhinosinusitis who present with complaints of PND. Methods: This is a prospective study of patients presenting with PND but no historical or endoscopic evidence of rhinitis/rhinosinusitis. Twenty-four-hour pharyngeal pH probe studies were done on 32 consecutive patients and compared with historical controls. Results: There were a total of 32 patients with PND (mean age, 54 years) and 51 controls (mean age, 49 years). The proportion of patients with positive pH probe studies was higher in PND (28.1%) versus controls (17.6%) but did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.27). However, when comparing the mean number of pharyngeal acid exposure events, patients with PND had significantly more events (1.6) than controls (0.3; p < 0.002). In addition, the mean acid exposure time was significantly higher in PND (0.18%) versus controls (0.01%; p < 0.004). Conclusion: The proportion of patients with PND displaying positive pharyngeal 24 pH probe studies is not significantly greater than controls. However, patients with PND do exhibit a statistically greater degree of pharyngeal acid exposure as compared with controls. Additional research is required to delineate the role of pharyngeal reflux in patients with PND.
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U2 - 10.1177/194589240501900403
DO - 10.1177/194589240501900403
M3 - Article
C2 - 16171165
AN - SCOPUS:25144455551
SN - 1050-6586
VL - 19
SP - 340
EP - 343
JO - American Journal of Rhinology
JF - American Journal of Rhinology
IS - 4
ER -