Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T08:21:57.219Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Non-voice-related throat symptoms: comparative analysis of laryngopharyngeal reflux and globus pharyngeus scales

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2010

R A Cathcart ,
N Steen ,
B G Natesh ,
K H Ali  and
J A Wilson
R A Cathcart*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
N Steen
Affiliation:
Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
B G Natesh
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
K H Ali
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospitals of Leicester, UK
J A Wilson
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Russell Cathcart, c/o ENT Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle NE77DN, UK Fax: +44 (0)191 2231246 E-mail: r.cathcart@nhs.net
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

This study calculated the comparability of two throat symptom assessment scales devised to evaluate either laryngopharyngeal reflux or globus.

Setting:

United Kingdom hospital out-patient departments.

Method:

A total of 334 subjects, with and without throat symptoms, completed the Reflux Symptom Index and/or the Glasgow and Edinburgh Throat Scale. The following were calculated for the resultant data: Cronbach's α coefficient, principal component analysis, Kaiser normalisation, varimax and oblimin rotation, and eigenvalues.

Results:

Analysis of data from the Reflux Symptom Index and the Glasgow and Edinburgh Throat Scale revealed clearly similar symptom domains regarding (1) coughing and blockage, and (2) globus or postnasal drip or throat-clearing, as did combined analysis of their amalgamated items. Both instruments had good overall internal consistency (α = 0.75 and 0.81, respectively). The ‘heartburn or reflux’ item in the Reflux Symptom Index mapped poorly to each underlying factor.

Discussion:

The most commonly used laryngopharyngeal reflux and globus assessment questionnaires appear to detect very similar symptom clusters. The management of throat disorders may previously have been over-reliant on the presenting pattern of throat symptoms. Our findings indicate a need to revisit the traditional clinical classification of throat symptoms.

Keywords

Factor AnalysisPharynxSigns And SymptomsOutcome Assessment
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 125 , Issue 1 , January 2011 , pp. 59 - 64
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Data from this work were presented in a free paper at the Otorhinolaryngological Research Society Meeting, 21 April 2006, Bath, United Kingdom.

References

1 Webb, AL, Carding, PN, Deary, IJ, MacKenzie, K, Steen, IN, Wilson, JA. Optimising outcome assessment of voice interventions, I: reliability and validity of three self-reported scales. J Laryngol Otol 2007;121:763–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2 Deary, IJ, Wilson, JA, Harris, MB, MacDougall, G. Globus pharyngis: development of a symptom assessment scale. J Psychosom Res 1995;39:203–13CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3 Dumper, J, Mechor, B, Chau, J, Allegretto, M. Lansoprazole in globus pharyngeus: double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008;37:657–63Google ScholarPubMed
4 Maung, KH, Hayworth, D, Nix, PA, Atkin, SL, England, RJ. Thyroidectomy does not cause globus pattern symptoms. J Laryngol Otol 2005;119:973–5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5 Millichap, F, Lee, M, Pring, T. A lump in the throat: should speech and language therapists treat globus pharyngeus? Disabil Rehabil 2005;27:124–30CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 Park, KH, Choi, SM, Kwon, SUK, Yoon, SW, Kim, SUK. Diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux among globus patients. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2006;134:81–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7 Belafsky, PC, Postma, GN, Koufman, JA. Validity and reliability of the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI). J Voice 2002;16:274–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8 Gale, CR, Wilson, JA, Deary, IJ. Globus sensation and psychopathology in men: the Vietnam experience study. Psychosom Med 2009;71:1026–31CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9 Ali, KH, Wilson, JA. What is the severity of globus sensation in individuals who have never sought health care for it? J Laryngol Otol 2007;121:865–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10 Cathcart, RA, Karagama, Y, Henderson, B, Wilson, JA. Symptom scoring in chronic catarrh patients – are they a heterogenous group? Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2005;133(S):157CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11 Park, KH, Choi, SM, Kwon, SU, Yoon, SW, Kim, SU. Diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal reflux among globus patients. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2006;134:81–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12 Dauer, E, Thompson, D, Zinsmeister, AR, Dierkhising, R, Harris, A, Zais, T et al. Supraesophageal reflux: validation of a symptom questionnaire. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2006;134:73–80CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13 Papakonstantinou, L, Leslie, P, Gray, J, Chadwick, T, Hudson, M, Wilson, JA. Laryngopharyngeal reflux: a prospective analysis of a 34 item symptom questionnaire. Clin Otolaryngol 2009;34:455–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed