Abstract
Background/Aims Patients with untreated achalasia frequently complain of heartburn and regurgitation. The diagnosis of achalasia might be delayed because these symptoms are misinterpreted as gastroesophageal reflux. We aim to evaluate the clinical, radiologic, and manometric findings in patient with untreated achalasia. Methods The records of patients diagnosed with primary achalasia between July 2004 and January 2012 at Gangnam Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea were evaluated. We reviewed their clinical history and the findings of barium esophagogram, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and esophageal transit scintigraphy. We also compared the clinical, radiologic, and manometric findings of patients according to heartburn symptoms and proton pump inhibitor use. Results Our study included a total of 64 patients with a median age of 44.5 (interquartile range, 31.5-54.0). The median duration of symptoms was 23.5 (interquartile range, 5.3-57.0) months. Sixty-four patients (100%) had dysphagia, 49 (76.6%) had regurgitation, 35 (54.7%) had chest pain, and 38 (59.4%) had heartburn. Typical clinical features of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) such as regurgitation, heartburn, and chest pain were observed in more than 50% of achalasia patients. Proton pump inhibitors were prescribed for 16 patients (25%) on the assumption that they had GERD. Patients with heartburn were more likely to experience weight loss (P = 0.009), regurgitation (P = 0.001), or chest pain (P = 0.019). Conclusions Heartburn, regurgitation, and chest pain were commonly observed in patients with untreated achalasia. Therefore, these findings suggest that achalasia should be suspected in patients with refractory GERD.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 378-384 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 Jan 1 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Clinical Neurology
- Gastroenterology
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Clinical characteristics of patients with untreated achalasia. / Jeon, Han Ho; Kim, Jie-Hyun; Youn, Young Hoon; Park, HyoJin; Conklin, Jeffrey L.
In: Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Vol. 23, No. 3, 01.01.2017, p. 378-384.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical characteristics of patients with untreated achalasia
AU - Jeon, Han Ho
AU - Kim, Jie-Hyun
AU - Youn, Young Hoon
AU - Park, HyoJin
AU - Conklin, Jeffrey L.
PY - 2017/1/1
Y1 - 2017/1/1
N2 - Background/Aims Patients with untreated achalasia frequently complain of heartburn and regurgitation. The diagnosis of achalasia might be delayed because these symptoms are misinterpreted as gastroesophageal reflux. We aim to evaluate the clinical, radiologic, and manometric findings in patient with untreated achalasia. Methods The records of patients diagnosed with primary achalasia between July 2004 and January 2012 at Gangnam Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea were evaluated. We reviewed their clinical history and the findings of barium esophagogram, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and esophageal transit scintigraphy. We also compared the clinical, radiologic, and manometric findings of patients according to heartburn symptoms and proton pump inhibitor use. Results Our study included a total of 64 patients with a median age of 44.5 (interquartile range, 31.5-54.0). The median duration of symptoms was 23.5 (interquartile range, 5.3-57.0) months. Sixty-four patients (100%) had dysphagia, 49 (76.6%) had regurgitation, 35 (54.7%) had chest pain, and 38 (59.4%) had heartburn. Typical clinical features of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) such as regurgitation, heartburn, and chest pain were observed in more than 50% of achalasia patients. Proton pump inhibitors were prescribed for 16 patients (25%) on the assumption that they had GERD. Patients with heartburn were more likely to experience weight loss (P = 0.009), regurgitation (P = 0.001), or chest pain (P = 0.019). Conclusions Heartburn, regurgitation, and chest pain were commonly observed in patients with untreated achalasia. Therefore, these findings suggest that achalasia should be suspected in patients with refractory GERD.
AB - Background/Aims Patients with untreated achalasia frequently complain of heartburn and regurgitation. The diagnosis of achalasia might be delayed because these symptoms are misinterpreted as gastroesophageal reflux. We aim to evaluate the clinical, radiologic, and manometric findings in patient with untreated achalasia. Methods The records of patients diagnosed with primary achalasia between July 2004 and January 2012 at Gangnam Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea were evaluated. We reviewed their clinical history and the findings of barium esophagogram, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and esophageal transit scintigraphy. We also compared the clinical, radiologic, and manometric findings of patients according to heartburn symptoms and proton pump inhibitor use. Results Our study included a total of 64 patients with a median age of 44.5 (interquartile range, 31.5-54.0). The median duration of symptoms was 23.5 (interquartile range, 5.3-57.0) months. Sixty-four patients (100%) had dysphagia, 49 (76.6%) had regurgitation, 35 (54.7%) had chest pain, and 38 (59.4%) had heartburn. Typical clinical features of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) such as regurgitation, heartburn, and chest pain were observed in more than 50% of achalasia patients. Proton pump inhibitors were prescribed for 16 patients (25%) on the assumption that they had GERD. Patients with heartburn were more likely to experience weight loss (P = 0.009), regurgitation (P = 0.001), or chest pain (P = 0.019). Conclusions Heartburn, regurgitation, and chest pain were commonly observed in patients with untreated achalasia. Therefore, these findings suggest that achalasia should be suspected in patients with refractory GERD.
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U2 - 10.5056/jnm16177
DO - 10.5056/jnm16177
M3 - Article
VL - 23
SP - 378
EP - 384
JO - Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
JF - Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
SN - 2093-0879
IS - 3
ER -