Association between laryngopharyngeal reflux disease and autonomic nerve dysfunction

PurposeTo assess autonomic nerve function in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) and determine the correlation between LPRD and autonomic nerve dysfunction.MethodsPatients with suspected LPRD who visited our outpatient department were assessed using the reflux symptom index (RSI) and reflux finding score (RFS) scales. Eighty-one suspected LPRD patients with RSI>13 and RFS>7 were examined using 5-min short-range heart rate variability, and all were given proton pump inhibitor diagnostic treatment.ResultsThe root mean square of successive R-R intervals, high-frequency (HF) power, standardized HF, and HF% were significantly lower in the case group than in the control group (p<0.05); however, the low frequency (LF)/HF ratio was significantly higher in the case group (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the standard deviation of the average normal-to-normal interval, total power, LF power, and LF% between the two groups (p>0.05). RSI, RFS, and disease duration were negatively correlated with HF power (r=-0.89, -0.77, and -0.315, respectively; p<0.05). The LF/HF ratio and disease duration were positively correlated (r=0.315, p<0.05).ConclusionsAutonomic nerve dysfunction was observed in our patients with LPRD. LPRD severity was significantly correlated with autonomic nerve dysfunction and negatively correlated with vagal nerve function.