Summary
Objectives
Vocal fold nodules (VFNs) are benign disorders affecting the superficial lamina propria
of the true vocal folds. The etiology of VFNs still remains unclear but laryngeal
trauma caused by vocal abuse, tobacco, alcohol, and laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)
plays a crucial role on the pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess the
presence of pepsin in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FEPE) specimens of VFNs to
evaluate the role of LPR as a risk factor for VFNs.
Materials and Methods
A total of 28 pathology specimens of patients suffering from VFNs who had undergone
laser microsurgery under general anesthesia were evaluated. The specimens were maintained
in paraffin blocks in the pathology department. Western blot (WB) and enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analyses were used to measure pepsin enzyme levels in
the VFNs tissue specimens. Signs of LPR were assessed according to the reflux finding
score.
Results
The mean reflux finding score of the patients was 13.6 ± 2.89 (8–21). According to
WB and ELISA analyses, pepsin was detected with both the WB the ELISA tests in positive
controls, but there was no pepsin enzyme in any of the 28 laryngeal FEPE VFNs specimens.
Conclusion
The pepsin enzyme was not detected in any of the FEPE VFNs specimens, and it is concluded
that further studies are needed to reveal the role of pepsin in the etiology of VFNs.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 11, 2018
Accepted:
April 13,
2018
Footnotes
This work was supported by the research fund of Gulhane Medical School (AR-2014/48). This work was done in Gulhane Medical School, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ankara, Turkey.
Each of the authors has contributed to, read, and approved this manuscript. This manuscript is original and it, or any part of it, has not been previously published; nor is it under consideration for publication elsewhere. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
