Research progress on related diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in laryngopharyngeal reflux

Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) refers to the backflow of stomach contents into the throat and pharynx, clinically presenting with various throat symptoms such as a sensation of foreign body, difficulty in pronunciation and swallowing. Traditional methods for diagnosing LPR are based on clinical history and laryngoscopic examination, which include findings such as vocal cord groove, chronic pharyngolaryngitis, posterior laryngitis, and increased mucosal secretions. As LPR is closely related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in terms of pathogenesis, and LPR symptoms can be relieved to some extent after receiving GERD-related treatment, some scholars also classify LPR as an extra-esophageal symptom of GERD. Although there is currently a mainstream view of distinguishing the two diseases, some diagnostic and therapeutic methods for GERD can also be used for the diagnosis and treatment of LPR. This paper aimed to review the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of LPR and GERD, and propose a rational diagnostic and therapeutic process as a reference for diagnosis and treatment of LPR in the future.