The natural history of globus pharyngeus

Laryngoscope. 1995 Oct;105(10):1118-21. doi: 10.1288/00005537-199510000-00019.

Abstract

While globus pharyngeus is a common disorder, accounting for 3% to 4% of new otolaryngology outpatient referrals, few long-term follow-up studies have been conducted on patients with this condition. The authors of this study followed 74 patients with a diagnosis of globus pharyngeus for an average of 7 years, 7 months (range: 7 years to 8 years, 10 months). During the follow-up period, 55% of patients were asymptomatic and 45% of patients had persistent symptoms. An in-depth analysis of features at clinical presentation failed to reveal any reliable prognostic indicators. A number of patients developed other conditions during the follow-up period, but no patient developed upper aerodigestive tract malignancy. This study represents the longest follow-up of globus patients to date and, to the authors' knowledge, is the first to address the issue of malignancy in globus.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Conversion Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Deglutition Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pharyngeal Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Time Factors