Frequency Scale for Symptoms of GERD (FSSG) and the Severity of an Abnormal Sensation in the Throat in Patients with Globus Pharyngeus

(Purpose) Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been known to induce globus pharyngeus. The frequency scale for the symptoms of GERD (FSSG) is a simplified questionnaire for GERD evaluation. To clarify the relationship between an abnormal sensation in the throat and GERD, the value of such an abnormal sensation was compared with the FSSG score in patients with globus pharyngeus. (Methods) The subjects comprised 130 globus pharyngeus patients who visited our outpatient department between May 2005 and March 2007. They were all evaluated using the FSSG and questionnaire for the presence of an abnormal sensation in the throat. The patients showing an FSSG score above 8 were diagnosed with GERD. The rate of GERD patients among those presenting with globus pharyngeus, and the correlation between the FSSG score and the value of an abnormal sensation in the throat were reviewed. Twenty-two patients with GERD were administered sodium rabeprazole (proton pump inhibitor: PPI) at a dosage of 10 mg daily for 2 weeks. Their symptoms were evaluated using the questionaire both before and after treatment. (Results) Sixty-seven of the 130 (52%) patients showed an FSSG score above 8, and, therefore, were diagnosed with GERD. Although the dyspeptic symptom score of the FSSG showed a weak correlation with the value of an abnormal sensation in the throat, the total FSSG score demonstrated no significant correlation with either. Treatment with PPI was associated with a significant improvement in the FSSG score but not in the value of an abnormal sensation in the throat. The acid reflux-related symptom score of the FSSG showed a more significant improvement than the dyspeptic symptom score after PPI treatment. (Conclusion) The FSSG was therefore found to be useful for the evaluation and treatment of globus pharyngeus patients. Factors other than acid reflux, such as dyspepsia, may also have some relationship with the cause of an abnormal sensation in the throat in GERD patients.