The Reflux Finding Score: Reliability and Correlation to the Reflux Symptom Index

Objective: To evaluate the correlation between the reflux symptom index (RSI) and the reflux finding score (RFS) in the patients with voice-related problems and to investigate the reliability of RFS. Methods: Fifty-four patients presenting with the complaint of voice abnormality were included in the study. Patients were asked to complete an RSI score sheet, and they were examined by rigid laryngostroboscopy. Laryngostroboscopic examinations of the patients were evaluated and rated with RFS by three different otolaryngologists blinded to patient information in two different sessions to evaluate intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. The correlations between RSI and RFS, for both total RFS and individual variables from RFS, were investigated. Results: Sixty-three percent were female and 37% were male, with a mean SD age of 39.09 +/- 14.43 years. RSI ranged from 4 to 31, and RFS ranged from 8 to 22. All three raters demonstrated highly consistent intra-rater and inter-rater reliability for both total RFS and individual variables from RFS. There was a highly significant statistical correlation between RSI and total RFS (r=0.696; p=0.0001). Individual variables from RFS, except the posterior commissure hypertrophy, also demonstrated a significant positive correlation with RSI scores (p<0.05). Conclusion: RFS is a simple scale that could easily be administered with high intra-rater and inter-rater reliability for the evaluation of laryngopharyngeal reflux. RSI is highly correlated with both total RFS and all the individual variables from RFS, except posterior commissure hypertrophy.