Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35338049›Full record

ArticleBMJ open gastroenterology2022

'Persistent throat symptoms' versus 'laryngopharyngeal reflux': a cross-sectional study refining the clinical condition.

James O'Hara, Holly Fisher, Louise Hayes, Janet Wilson

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open gastroenterology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

James O'HaraPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK james.o'hara@newcastle.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4096-3296
Holly FisherPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Louise HayesPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Janet WilsonPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Newcastle University · GBNewcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveMany patients are assessed for chronic symptoms including: dysphonia, 'globus', throat clearing, postnasal secretions and cough; commonly grouped together and attributed to 'laryngopharyngeal reflux'. This study aimed to explore a clinical trial's baseline dataset for patterns of presenting symptoms, which might provide a more rational basis for treatment.

designBaseline data were analysed for participants entering the Trial Of Proton-Pump Inhibitors in Throat Symptoms: age, body mass index, Reflux Symptom Index, Comprehensive Reflux Symptom Score, Laryngopharyngeal Reflux-Health-related Quality of Life questionnaire and Reflux Finding Score (RFS-endoscopic examination). The relationships between the questionnaires and demographic factors were assessed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on individual symptom items in the combined questionnaires. The EFA factors were applied to a Cluster Analysis of participants, to explore the presence of identifiable patient.

resultsThroat clearing and globus were the highest ranked scores in the 344 participants. Increasing age was inversely associated with symptom severity (p<0.01). There was no relationship between the RFS and any of the three questionnaires. EFA resulted in a seven-factor model with clinically meaningful labels: voice, cough, gastrointestinal symptoms, airway symptoms and dysphagia, throat clearing, lump in throat, and life events. Cluster analysis failed to demonstrate any clinically meaningful clusters of patients.

conclusionThis study offers a framework for future research and demonstrates that individual symptoms cannot be used to group patients. The analysis supports the use of a broad 'umbrella' term such as persistent throat symptoms. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN38578686.

Indexed as

Laryngopharyngeal RefluxCoughCross-Sectional StudiesHumansPharynxQuality of LifeDIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC ENDOSCOPYFUNCTIONAL BOWEL DISORDERPROTON PUMP INHIBITION

Identifiers

PMID35338049
PMCPMC8961157
OpenAlexW4221019734

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.