Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2005 Oct;48(10):1267-1270.

Efficacy of Benzodiazepines to Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Study

• Park KH
• Koo BJ
• Park JJ
• Kim SK
• Choi SM
• Kwon SU
• Yoon SW

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Anti-anxiety drugs such as benzodiazepines are often given to globus patients in practice, based on the notion that globus is a kind of somatization disorder. However, many of globus are caused by laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and the effects of anti-anxiety drugs to LPR are unknown. The study goal was to assess the efficacy of benzodiazepines to LPR. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We selected 51 LPR patients, who were confirmed by 24-hour double-probe ambulatory pH monitoring. Patients were allocated into case and control groups at random and entered into a double-blind trial. Patients in the control group received proton pump inhibitors and prokinetics. Diazepam was added to patients in the case group. Assessments were made after 4 weeks of treatment using reflux symptom index (RSI) and reflux finding score (RFS). RESULTS: In both groups, RSI and RFS were improved significantly at the end of the study. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Diazepam seems to have little efficacy in the treatment of LPR.

Keyword

Globus hystericus; Gastroesophageal reflux; Diazepam

MeSH Terms

Anti-Anxiety Agents
Benzodiazepines*
Conversion Disorder
Diazepam
Gastroesophageal Reflux
Humans
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Laryngopharyngeal Reflux*
Proton Pump Inhibitors
Somatoform Disorders
Anti-Anxiety Agents
Benzodiazepines
Diazepam
Proton Pump Inhibitors