Laryngopharyngeal reflux in obstructive sleep apnoea patients: Literature review and meta-analysis

Publication date: Available online 12 September 2018

Source: American Journal of Otolaryngology

Author(s): Giuseppe Magliulo, Giannicola Iannella, Antonella Polimeni, Marco De Vincentiis, Giuseppe Meccariello, Giampiero Gulotta, Benedetta Pasquariello, Filippo Montevecchi, Andrea De Vito, Giovanni D'agostino, Riccardo Gobbi, Giovanni Cammaroto, Claudio Vicini

Abstract

Purpose

Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is a frequent condition in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) patients and different studies have been published in the last years about this topic. A review of the published literature regarding LPR in OSA patients has been reported. A meta-analysis to evaluate the incidence of LPR in OSA patients and correlate LPR positivity with OSA patients' characteristics has been performed.

Methods

A comprehensive review of the English language literature about LPR in OSA patients was performed using the most important electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library etc.). A total of 10 papers studying LPR in OSA were assessed and considered eligible for the meta-analysis.

Results

The data analysis regarding 870 identified OSA patients showed that 394 patients were LPR +, while 476 were LPR-. The meta-analysis showed no statistical difference regarding the AHI value between LPR + patients and LPR- patients (p = 0,3). Mean BMI was more higher in LPR + patients than in the patients without LPR, showing a significant statistical difference (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Current international literature demonstrates a high incidence of LPR (45.2%) in OSA patients. The severity of AHI in OSA patients would not seem to correlate with the presence of laryngopharyngeal reflux. The OSA patients with LPR showed a higher BMI compared with LPR- patients.

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