Literature Review of the Association Between VCD and GERD

Question/hypothesis: Whether the association between VCD and GERD is due to causal relationship or the high prevalence of GERD in the general population. Design/methods: An English literature review was performed on the association between VCD and GERD. Results: Four studies suggesting a correlation between GERD and VCD are repeatedly mentioned in the majority of articles reviewed. The strongest evidence was demonstrated in a study of 12 patients conducted by Loughlin et al. A second study performed by Kerry et al involved only 77 patients in a tertiary care setting without a control group. A third study by Gurevich-Uvena et al was a retrospective chart review of 256 patients with no disease free control group or testing for GERD. The fourth study by Kaufman examining 225 patients with GERD helped identify different otolaryngologic manifestations of GERD but did not specify the presence of VCD. The literature also mentioned the absence of a significant correlation between anti-reflux therapy and improvement of voice-related disorders such as hoarseness and VCD. Conclusion: Given the small number of studies on the association between VCD and GERD and their limitations, the lack of significant correlation between anti-reflux therapy and improvement of voice-related disorders suggests that the association between VCD and GERD is related to the high prevalence of GERD in the general population rather than a causal relationship.