Correlation of Findings at Direct Laryngoscopy and Bronchoscopy With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Children

normalities with the presence or absence of a positive test result for GERD. Results: Fifty (65%) of 77 patients had GERD diagnosed with at least 1 positive test result, 21 (27%) had no clinical symptoms and no positive GERD test results, and 5 (7%) had clinical symptoms but no positive test results. There were significant differences for total laryngeal and cricotracheal scores (P,.001) between the groups with positive and negative results. Significant differences were as follows: in the larynx—large lingual tonsil (P,.001), postglottic edema (P,.001), arytenoid edema (P,.001), ventricle obliteration (P=.03), and true vocal fold edema (P=.001), and in the cricotracheal region—general edema and erythema (P=.003) and blunting of the carina (P,.001). Severe arytenoid edema, postglottic edema, or enlargement of lingual tonsil were pathognomonic of GERD. Conclusion: Many direct laryngoscopic and bronchoscopic findings correlate well with the diagnosis of GERD as determined by using other tests. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2001;127:369-374