Efficacy of Reza Band for the Treatment of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux

We propose a prospective cohort study. Sixty patients ≥ 18 years of age presenting to our laryngology outpatient clinic with LPR, with an RFS ≥ 7 and an RSI ≥ 13, not on anticoagulants, able to tolerate an endoscopy and consent to participate in this research study will be included. The study will consist of two cohorts. Cohort one will receive standard care (n = 30), and cohort two will receive standard care plus the Reza Band (to be worn as recommended by the manufacturer; n = 30). Patients will be assigned to either of the cohorts, based on their preferences.

Two laryngeal (posterior cricoid) biopsy specimens (one for pepsin ELISA and the other for qPCR for IL -1β, -6, and -8 inflammatory cytokines) and a throat saliva sample (for pepsin ELISA) will be obtained pre- and posttreatment (12 weeks) in an ambulatory clinic setting. The RSI, a patient-reported symptom severity questionnaire, will be administered in the clinic pre- and posttreatment. (36) Patients will be instructed to cough and clear the back of their throat to provide a saliva sample prior to endoscopy. The RFS (37) will be obtained by the study physicians during office endoscopy prior to biopsy. Deidentified biopsy and saliva samples will be transported to the research laboratory on ice and stored at -80 prior to analyses by ELISA and qPCR.

Pepsin ELISA One biopsy per subject will be homogenized in urea lysis buffer and total protein concentration determined as previously described (28). Saliva samples will be cleared by brief centrifugation. Noncompetitive indirect sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay described previously (35) will be performed to detect pepsin in biopsy homogenate and saliva.

qPCR RNA will be extracted from a second biopsy, DNAsed and reverse transcribed as described (38). Real time polymerase chain reaction will be performed in a Viaa7 Real Time PCR System using Taqman Gene Expression Assays targeting IL -1β, -6, and -8, and the housekeeping gene HPRT1 (ThermoFisher Scientific, Waltham, MA).

This pilot study will pave the way for clinical trials of a much-needed therapy for airway reflux. If the hypothesis proves true and the Reza Band resolves pepsin and inflammatory cytokines, and significantly improves endoscopic signs (RFS) and symptoms (RSI) of LPR, these data will also support a clinical trial to assess the utility of the Reza Band in preventing reflux-attributed laryngeal inflammatory and neoplastic disease sequelae. To our knowledge, this is the first study that will use pepsin as a primary outcome measure; it is believed to be a sensitive and specific biomarker for reflux and aspiration.