A Randomized Clinical Trial of Proton Pump Inhibitors Combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease

Background: To explore whether combined with TCM based on classical proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) therapy can achieve better efficacy for patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux disease. Methods: There were 150 laryngopharyngeal reflux patients enrolled and divided into three groups randomly, with 50 cases in each group. Patients in group A were treated with the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) lansoprazole. Patients in group B were treated with lansoprazole combined with Banxia Houpu decoction, and patients in group C were treated with acupuncture treatments and a combination of Chinese and Western medicine. The reflux symptom index (RSI), reflux finding score (RFS), and quality of life (36-item short form health survey questionnaire) were assessed before and 4 and 8 weeks after treatment. Results: The RSI and RFS scores of the three groups were significantly reduced after treatment (P < 0.001). In group B and C, they were lower than in group A at 8 weeks (P < 0.01). The SF-36 score of 3 groups increased after treatment. At both 4 and 8 weeks (P < 0.001), and patients in groups B and C scored higher than patients in group A (P < 0.001). The total effective rate of group B and group C was higher than that of group A (P < 0.05). Conclusion: All three treatments have therapeutic effects on the disease, but the efficacy of a PPI alone is not as good as the combined treatments' efficacies. Moreover, PPI combined with Banxia Houpu decoction and/or acupuncture treatment substantially affects life improvement.