The Reliability of the Reflux Finding Score Among General Otolaryngologists

SummaryBackgroundThe reflux finding score (RFS) is a validated clinical severity scale for findings of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) on fiberoptic laryngoscopy. To our knowledge, there have been no studies to determine whether severity of patient symptoms influence the RFS; in addition, the reliability of the RFS has not been tested for general otolaryngologists.ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were (1) to determine whether the RFS for LPR is influenced by symptoms of reflux and (2) to determine the inter-rater reliability for general otolaryngologists in diagnosing LPR using the RFS.MethodsTen general otolaryngologists were selected to participate. Participants were asked to complete an Internet survey consisting of flexible endoscopic videos of larynges with varying physical findings of reflux and grade the severity of reflux using the RFS. The videos were randomly shown with and without accompanying patient symptoms.ResultsOur data suggest that patient symptoms influence the RFS. Inter-rater reliability for general otolaryngologists using the RFS is fair.ConclusionsAmong general otolaryngologists in our study, the reliability and objectivity of the RFS in diagnosing reflux cannot be demonstrated.