Role of salivary function in patients with globus pharyngeus

✍ Scribed by Chung-Hwan Baek; Man Ki Chung; Joon Young Choi; Yoon Kyoung So; Young-Ik Son; Han-Sin Jeong

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 207 KB
• Volume: 32
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1043-3074
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.21176

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Background.

Our aim was to investigate the prevalence and the clinical role of salivary hypofunction in patients with globus sensation.

Methods.

We conducted a prospective observational study in 340 patients with globus pharyngeus. A standard questionnaire and ^99m^Tc‐pertechnate salivary scintigraphy were used to evaluate salivary hypofunction, with a full examination from the nasal cavity to the larynx (N = 303). We also investigated the effect of xerostomia management on globus symptoms (N = 252).

Results.

The symptom scores for xerostomia were higher in patients with severe globus (p < .05). Objective salivary hypofunction was noted in 57.4% of the patients, based on the reference values from control groups. Globus symptoms were more severe in the subgroup with salivary hypofunction (p = .0447). Conservative management of xerostomia significantly reduced the severity of globus at 1 and 3 months (p = .0002) regardless of salivary function.

Conclusions.

Salivary hypofunction seems to be an aggravating factor in globus pharyngeus, but not a direct cause. Conservative management of xerostomia improves globus symptoms. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010