Laryngopharyngealer Reflux und kehlkopfassoziierte Beschwerden

Predictive Value of Laryngeal Mucosa Pepsin in Therapeutic Response of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

To investigate the predictive capability of pepsin level in the laryngeal mucosa to the therapeutic effect of proton-pump inhibitors in patients with suspected laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), so as to verify whether it can be referred to as a biomarker of LPR.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective case study.

METHODS

Sixty patients with clinical empiric LPR were enrolled, with an reflux symptom index (RSI) ≥ 13 and an reflux finding score (RFS) > 7 as screening criteria. Biopsy specimens from the interarytenoid mucosa were obtained under topical anesthesia for pepsin immunohistochemical staining. Two parameters were observed in these patients with different pepsin levels after the administration of esomeprazole for 12 weeks: the RSI and the RFS.

RESULTS

Among the 60 cases, 35 cases were negative or weakly positive for pepsin (Pepsin(-) group), and 25 cases were moderately positive or strongly positive for pepsin (Pepsin(+) group). After therapy, the RSI significantly decreased from 17.00 (15.00, 19.00) to 6.00 (5.00, 11.00) in the Pepsin(+) group (Z = -4.38, P < 0.01), but no difference was found in the RFS (T = 1.48, P > 0.05). No significant difference was observed in the RSI (T = 2.01, P > 0.05) or the RFS (T = 2.01, P > 0.05) in the Pepsin(-) group either before or after therapy. An improvement in the RSI ≥ 50% was taken as the standard of effective therapy. The effective rate in the Pepsin(+) group was 72.0% (18/25), while it was 14.3% (5/35) in the Pepsin(-) group. There was a significant difference in the effective rate between the two groups (χ2 = 20.55, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Proton-pump inhibitors exhibited better effects in patients with higher pepsin levels in the laryngeal mucosa. Laryngeal mucosa pepsin may serve as an ideal indicator to screen patients suitable for proton-pump inhibitor therapy and a reliable biomarker to identify patients with LPR.

[Pharyngeal acid load and different functional endoscopy findings]

The findings of functional endoscopy (upper esophageal sphincter insufficiency, cardia insufficiency, esophagitis, gastric heterotopia, axial sliding hernia, and visible aerosols) can be traced back to pharyngeal acid exposure by oropharyngeal pH measurement. Significantly increased pharyngeal acid loads are seen in gastric heterotopy and axial sliding hernia. For all measured statistics, the pharyngeal acid load is in the pathological or even very pathological range. The value of functional endoscopy in the context of laryngopharyngeal reflux diagnosis is clearly documented. The findings "heterotopic gastric mucosa" and "axial sliding hernia" may cause marked airway symptoms and a pathogenetic relationship with otorhinolaryngologic reflux-associated symptoms must be postulated for these entities.

Relationship between functional endoscopy and impedance-pH measurement

Classic gastroenterological diagnostic tools have proven to be insufficient in identifying the causal relationship between extra-esophageal symptoms and presumed pathological reflux activity. Some new methodological approaches, such as functional endoscopy (video panendoscopy, VPE), are considered to be helpful. However, there are currently no data objectively verifying the success of this method. In a previous study, we found a good correlation between the reflux symptom index (RSI) according to Belafsky and endoscopic findings. Impedance-pH measurement is considered to be the gold standard in esophageal reflux disease diagnostics. Therefore, the relationship between endoscopic findings and the results of impedance-pH monitoring is now studied in patients with extra-esophageal reflux symptoms. The pathological findings of the VPE correlate with impedance-pH measurements regarding the parameters "number of reflux episodes," "fraction time," and "DeMeester score."

[Relationship between functional endoscopy and impedance-pH measurement. German version]

Classic gastroenterological diagnostic tools are proving increasingly insufficient for analyzing the complex causal relationship between extra-esophageal symptoms and presumed pathological reflux activity. Some new methodological approaches, such as functional endoscopy (videopanendoscopy, VPE), are considered to be helpful. However, there are currently no data objectively verifying the usefulness of this method. In a pilot study, a good correlation between the reflux symptom index (RSI) and endoscopic findings was shown. Impedance-pH measurement is considered to be the "gold standard" in esophageal reflux disease diagnostics. Therefore, the relationship between endoscopic findings and the results of impedance-pH monitoring are now studied in patients with extra-esophageal reflux symptoms. The investigation demonstrates that the pathological findings of VPE correlate well with impedance-pH measurements in terms of the parameters "number of reflux episodes", "fraction time", and "DeMeester score".

[Importance of cellular tight junction complexes in the development of periprosthetic leakage after prosthetic voice rehabilitation]

BACKGROUND

The use of voice prostheses is currently the gold standard in voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy. This method combines low complication rates and excellent rehabilitation results; however, approximately 30% of patients show periprosthetic leakage or severe fistula enlargement after laryngectomy and prosthetic voice restoration within the first 4 years. The development of this enlargement is controversially discussed in the literature but recently published studies have shown that high esophageal reflux plays a key role in this process, which leads to an inflammatory reaction and disturbs the intercellular tight junctions in the sense of an epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 44 patients underwent 24 h pH monitoring, a sample biopsy from the region of the fistula and a subsequent biomolecular examination for intracellular junction proteins as well as a correlation between the severity of reflux and tracheoesophageal fistula problems before and after antireflux therapy with proton pump inhibitors (PPI).

RESULTS

Immunohistochemical staining revealed decreases in membrane E-cadherin and β-catenin and a significant increase in the cytoplasmic fraction, depending on the severity of inflammation in the fistula tissue. In patients with an improvement of clinical fistula problems under oral PPI treatment an increase of membrane E-cadherin could be shown, whereas patients with persisting fistula enlargement demonstrated a further decrease of E-cadherin.

CONCLUSION

The data indicate a central role of EMT in the development of fistula enlargement after total laryngectomy. Patients with periprosthetic leakage showed a loss of membrane bound E-cadherin and β-catenin with an up-regulation of vimentin expression. In patients with mild or no leakage problems EMT could be resolved by aggressive antireflux treatment, whereas patients without any effect of PPI treatment on the fistula showed no reversal of EMT. These data contribute to the understanding of treatment resistant fistula enlargement after total laryngectomy.