BMJ: These drugs may not be helpful in treating persistent throat symptoms

At present, it is more recognized in the otolaryngology department that most of these throat symptoms are related to gastroesophedic reflow disease (GORD), the associated symptoms can be described in different terms, including esophpathic reflow, throat reflow and reflow sore throat.
More than a decade ago, British otolaryngologists prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for throat symptoms, an important class of anti-gastric acid secretion drugs after H2 subject blockers.
since then, the concept of a link between GORD and throat and sound symptoms has become more prevalent, and primary care guidelines also promote the use of PPI treatment.
recently, researchers at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, UK, published an article in the British Medical Journal entitled "Use of proton pump resedors to persistent throat symptoms: multicentre, double blind, randomised, placebo controlled trial" to study the efficacy of proton pump inhibitors in treating persistent throat symptoms.
the study was conducted by researchers in a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in eight hospitals across the UK.
The subjects were adults (≥18 years old) and had persistent and unsolt throat symptoms - mainly hoarseness, sore throat, sore throat, repeated throat clearing, excessive after-nose secretions or mucus, coughing or suffocation.
baseline level, the researchers used a patient self-reporting questionnaire to obtain a reflow symptom index (RSI) to assess the severity of the symptoms.
to eliminate diseases that require special treatment, such as vocal vocal diphtheria or malignant tumors, through direct or indirect laryngoscopes.
interventions were 30 mg of lanzoladazole (PPIs), 2 times a day for a total of 16 weeks.
the control group with matching placebo capsules 2 times a day for 16 consecutive weeks.
subjects were assessed at baseline (after informed consent), 16 weeks and 12 months, respectively.
the main observation indicator was the symptom response at 16 weeks, with a total reflow symptom index (RSI) score.
outcomes include symptom response at 12 months, quality of life, and throat symptoms.
trial flow chart Between April 2014 and February 2017, 1,427 patients were screened and 346 subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: 172 with lanso laazole and 174 in the placebo group.
, 267 (77%) of the subjects completed 16 weeks of primary results measurements. the baseline characteristics of
subjects showed that the average age of 346 participants was 52.2 years, of which 196 (57%) were women, 162 (47%) had severe symptoms, and the clinical characteristics between the two groups remained balanced.
baseline examination, the average RSI score of the Lansolazo group was 22.0, and that of the placebo group was 21.7, with little difference between the groups.
16 weeks of treatment, the RSI scores of both groups improved, with a score of 17.4 in the Lansolazole group and 15.6 in the placebo group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups.
did not show superior benefits over placebo in any secondary outcome indicators, including an RSI score of 12 months (of which lanso laazole was 16.0 and placebo was 13.6).
the main outcome indicators of the trial, the study found that Lansolazole did not have a greater effect on patients with persistent throat symptoms than placebos.
while the current empirical treatment of patients with persistent throat symptoms with PPIs is a common practice among medical practitioners around the world, evidence-based treatment guidelines should now be used to stop the situation.