Somatic anxiety in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux

Abstract Objective This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and anxiety in patients with LPR. Design Prospective, case–control study. Setting This study was conducted at a tertiary care center. Participants Sixty‐four patients with LPR and 60 healthy controls. Methods Patients with LPR and healthy individuals (N = 64 and N = 60) were enrolled in this study. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and reflux symptom index (RSI) were used to evaluate anxiety and reflux‐related symptoms, respectively. The BAI can be classified into somatic and subjective symptom scales. The prevalence of anxiety was compared between patients with LPR and healthy individuals. This study evaluated the relationship between BAI and RSI scores. Results No statistical difference was found in the prevalence of anxiety between patients with LPR and healthy individuals (42.2% vs. 33.3%). However, the somatic anxiety symptom score was statistically higher in patients with LPR than in healthy individuals (p = .047). We observed a correlation between RSI and somatic anxiety scores of BAI in patients with LPR (rho = 0.286, p = .021). Conclusion Patients with LPR had more severe somatic anxiety symptoms, and somatic anxiety was associated with their LPR‐related symptoms.