Achalasia Patients Research Articles

Relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter in response to reduced volume distension during FLIP Panometry.

The esophageal response to stepwise distension during the functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) Panometry study often parallels high-resolution manometry (HRM) motility diagnoses. This study aimed to describe the changes in FLIP metrics during FLIP emptying, that is, reduced volume distension. Adult patients who completed FLIP and HRM for esophageal motility evaluation were included. Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) opening parameters were assessed during stepwise FLIP filling to volumes of 60 mL ("filling 60 mL"), then 70 mL, and then back to 60 mL ("emptying 60 mL"). HRM studies were analyzed per Chicago classification version 4.0 (CCv4.0). Among 265 patients included, HRM/CCv4.0 diagnoses included achalasia in 80 patients (30%), normal motility in 70 (26%), and ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) in 43 (16%). EGJ-distensibility index (DI) and EGJ diameter were greater during emptying 60 mL than filling 60 mL in achalasia, normal motility, and IEM (p values <0.002). If applying the emptying 60 mL EGJ-DI (vs. filling 60 mL EGJ-DI), EGJ opening classification changed from reduced EGJ opening to borderline EGJ opening in 31% of achalasia patients and in 2% of patients with normal motility or IEM. EGJ opening classification was unchanged in 69% achalasia and 96% of normal motility/IEM. This study suggests that isotonic or auxotonic relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter occurs with reduced volume distension in patients with achalasia and normal motility. The study also supports the importance of utilizing a standardized FLIP motility study protocol (i.e., controlled, stepwise filling to 50 mL, 60 mL, then 70 mL) to provide reliable and generalizable FLIP metrics to facilitate diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders.

Outcomes of Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy in the Treatment of Esophageal Achalasia: Over One Hundred Cases in a Single Tertiary Center

Objective: To study the outcomes and complications of per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in patients with esophageal achalasia. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study reviewed the medical records of esophageal achalasia patients who underwent POEM between March 2013 and September 2022. One hundred and eight cases were included. Results: A total of 108 consecutive patients were included in this study and classified into 4 groups: 30 (27.8%) as type I; 53 (49.1%) as type II; 5 (4.6%) as type III; and 20 (18.5%) as unspecified due to unsuccessful catheter placement across the esophagogastric junction. The mean patient age was 46.10+16.59, 77 (71.3%) patients were female. Ten (9.3%) of the patients had undergone prior treatment, including balloon dilation, POEM, Heller myotomy, and nitroglycerine. Technical success was achieved in 106 (98.1%) cases, clinical success was evaluated only in 88 patients who follow up more than 6 month and the median follow-up time was 20.50 months (range 6-110 months). The clinical success was accomplished in 82 (93.2%), and 26 (24.1%) patients experienced perioperative complications which were significantly associated with anterior myotomy and probably operator learning curve. One patient (1.1%) had recurrent symptoms at 24-month follow up. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was found in 19 (21.6%) patients, all of whom responded well to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Conclusion: POEM is effective and safe in long-term treatment of achalasia. Although the incidence of symptomatic GERD was slightly high, the cases were not severe and were well controlled with medication.

320. ESOPHAGEAL PULL-DOWN TECHNIQUE IMPROVES THE FINAL OUTCOME OF LAPAROSCOPIC HELLER-DOR FOR END-STAGE ACHALASIA

Abstract Background Patients with sigmoid shape have an advanced form of the disease and are considered the most difficult to treat. A modified technique (pull-down) has been proposed to straighten the esophageal axis, but there is a limited amount of data available in literature. In this study, we aimed to compare the final outcome of the pull-down technique (PDLHD) with the results of classical myotomy (CLHD) in patients with end-stage achalasia. Methods From 1995–2022, patients with a radiological diagnosis of end-stage achalasia undergoing laparoscopic myotomy were enrolled in the study. Symptoms were quantified using the Eckardt score. Barium-swallow, endoscopy and manometry were performed before and after the treatment. Treatment failure was defined as the persistence or reoccurrence of an Eckardt score &amp;gt; 3, or the need for retreatment. Results Of the 94 patients with end-stage achalasia (M:F = 52:42), 60 patients were treated with CLHD, and 34 patients with PDLHD. The surgical procedures were completed laparoscopically in all patients. During follow-up, two patients (2.1%) developed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), both in the CLHD group. All patients in both groups had an improvement in their Eckardt score after surgery, and the failure rates were 27.6% (16/58) after CLHD and 5.9% (2/34) after PDLHD (p &amp;lt; 0.01). Amongst the patients who underwent complete post-operative follow-up, an abnormal acid exposure was detected in 2 patients after PDLH, and in 6 after CLHD (p = n.s.). Conclusions Taken into account the intrinsic limitations of the study (different time window, and different follow-up), the results of this study indicate that performing the pull-down technique during Laparoscopic Heller-Dor improves the final outcome in end-stage achalasia patients.

A Higher Manometric Esophageal Length to Height Ratio in Achalasia Explains the Lower Prevalence of Hiatal Hernia.

The evidence suggests that a shorter esophageal length (EL) in gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) patients is associated with the presence of hiatal hernia (HH). However, there are no reports of this association in patients with achalasia. The aim is to (1) determine the prevalence of hiatal hernia in achalasia patients, (2) compare achalasia EL with GERD patients and healthy volunteers (HV), (3) measure achalasia manometric esophageal length to height (MELH) ratio, and (4) determine if there are differences in symptoms between patients with and without hiatal hernia. This retrospective and cross-sectional study consist of 87 pre-surgical achalasia patients, 22 GERD patients, and 30 HV. High-resolution manometry (HRM), barium swallow, and upper endoscopy were performed to diagnose HH. The EL and MELH ratio were measured by HRM. Symptoms were assessed with Eckardt, Eating Assessment Tool, and GERD-health-related quality of life questionnaires. The HH in GERD's prevalence was 73% vs 3% in achalasia patients (P < 0.001). Achalasia patients had a longer esophagus and a higher MELH ratio than HV and GERD patients (P < 0.001). GERD patients had a lower MELH ratio than HV (P < 0.05). EAT-10 (P < 0.0001) and Eckardt (P < 0.05) scores were higher in achalasia without HH vs HH. The prevalence of HH in achalasia is significantly lower than in GERD. The longer EL and the higher MELH ratio in achalasia could explain the lower prevalence of HH. Despite the low prevalence of HH in achalasia patients, the surgeon should be encouraged not to rule out HH since the risk of postoperative reflux may increase if this condition is not identified and corrected.

Defining “true acid reflux” after peroral endoscopic myotomy for achalasia: a prospective cohort study

Background & AimsThe symptoms of reflux in achalasia patients undergoing per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) are believed to result from gastroesophageal reflux, and the current treatment primarily focuses on acid suppression. Nevertheless, other factors such as non-reflux acidification caused by fermentation or stasis might play a role. This study aims to identify patients with “true acid reflux” who actually require acid suppression and fundoplication. MethodsIn this prospective large cohort study, the primary objective was to assess the incidence and risk factors for “true acid reflux” in achalasia patients undergoing POEM. Acid reflux with normal and delayed clearance defined the “true acid reflux”, while other patterns were labelled as “non-reflux acidification patterns” on manual analysis of pH tracings. These findings were corroborated with symptom questionnaire, esophagogastroscopy, esophageal manometry, timed barium esophagogram at 3 months after the POEM procedure. Results54 achalasia patients, aged 18-80 years [mean age 41.1 years (12.8), 59.3% males, 90.7% type II achalasia] underwent POEM resulting in significant mean Eckardt score improvement (6.7 to 1.6;p<0.05). “True acid reflux” was noted in 29.6% as compared to 64.8% on automated analysis. Acid fermentation was the predominant acidification pattern seen in 42.7% patients. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, increasing age (OR,1.12;95%CI,1.02-1.27;p=0.04) and pre-procedural integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) (OR,1.13;95%CI,1.04–1.30;p=0.02) were significantly associated with “true acid reflux” in post-POEM patients. ConclusionA manual review of pH tracings helps identifying “true acid reflux” in post-POEM achalasia patients. Pre-procedural IRP can be a predictive factor in determining patients at risk for this outcome.

Impaired sliding between the lower esophageal sphincter and crural diaphragm (esophageal hiatus) in patients with achalasia esophagus.

Swallow-related axial shortening of the esophagus results in the formation of phrenic ampulla in normal subjects; whether it is the case in achalasia esophagus is not known. The goal is to study axial shortening of the esophagus and relative movement between the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and crural diaphragm (CD) in normal subjects and patients with achalasia. A novel method, isoimpedance contour excursion at the lower edger of LES, as a marker of axial esophageal shortening was validated using X-ray fluoroscopy (n = 5) and used to study axial shortening and separation between the LES and CD during peristalsis in normal subjects (n = 15) and patients with achalasia type 2 esophagus (n = 15). Abdominal CT scan images were used to determine the nature of tissue in the esophageal hiatus of control (n = 15) and achalasia patients (n = 15). Swallow-induced peristalsis resulted in an axial excursion of isoimpedance contours, which was quantitatively similar to the metal clip anchored to the LES on X-ray fluoroscopy (2.3 ± 1.4 vs. 2.1 ± 1.4 cm with deep inspiration and 2.7 ± 0.6 cm vs. 2.7 ± 0.6 cm with swallow-induced peristalsis). Esophageal axial shortening with swallows in patients with achalasia was significantly smaller than normal (1.64 ± 0.5 cm vs. 3.59 ± 0.4 cm, P < 0.001). Gray-level matrix analysis of CT images suggests more "fibrous" and less fat in the hiatus of patients with achalasia. Lack of sliding between the LES and CD explains the low prevalence of hiatus hernia, and low compliance of the LES in achalasia esophagus, which likely plays a role in the pathogenesis of achalasia.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Swallow-related axial shortening of the esophagus is reduced, and there is no separation between the lower esophageal sphincter and crural diaphragm (CD) with swallowing in patients with achalasia esophagus. Fat in the hiatal opening of the esophagus appears to be replaced with fibrous tissue in patients with achalasia, resulting in tight anchoring between the LES and CD. The above findings explain low prevalence of hiatus hernia and the low compliance of the LES in achalasia esophagus.

Early esophageal carcinomas in achalasia patient after endoscopic submucosal dissection combined with peroral endoscopic myotomy: A case report

In recent years, because of the growing desire to improve the noninvasiveness and safety of tumor treatments, sonodynamic therapy has gradually become a popular research topic. However, due to the complexity of the therapeutic process, the relevant mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. One of the widely accepted possibilities involves the effect of reactive oxygen species. In this review, the mechanism of reactive oxygen species production by sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and ways to enhance the sonodynamic production of reactive oxygen species are reviewed. Then, the clinical application and limitations of SDT are discussed. In conclusion, current research on sonodynamic therapy should focus on the development of sonosensitizers that efficiently produce active oxygen, exhibit biological safety, and promote the clinical transformation of sonodynamic therapy.

Technical Success in Performing Esophageal High-Resolution Manometry in Patients with an Epiphrenic Diverticulum.

High-resolution manometry (HRM) is the gold standard for diagnosing esophageal motility disorders, yet it can be poorly tolerated and technically challenging. Epiphrenic diverticula (ED) are located in the distal esophagus and are associated with underlying motility disorders. ED patients (2008-2022) were retrospectively compared to achalasia patients (2008-2022) and all other patients (2021-2022) who underwent HRM at a single center. Complete success was defined as at least 7 interpretable swallows including measurements throughout the esophagus into the stomach. HRM studies involving children, previously treated achalasia, and sedation or endoscopic-assistance were excluded. 20 ED patients (mean age 66; 60% female) were compared to 76 achalasia patients and 199 controls. HRM was completely successful in 70.0% of ED patients, 85.5% of achalasia (p = 0.106 vs ED), and 91.0% of controls (p = 0.004 vs ED). Most failures in the ED and achalasia groups were due to inability to traverse the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), while patient intolerance was the main reason in controls. Half of the ED group had motility disorders (25% achalasia, 15% hypercontractile esophagus, 10% absent contractility). Large diverticulum size was inversely associated with technical success compared to small diverticulum size (40% vs 100%, p = 0.013), while the presence of a motility disorder did not significantly affect success (60% vs 88.9%, p = 0.303). In conclusion,ED is a predictor of unsuccessful HRM. This appears to be mainly related to an inability to traverse the EGJ due to the size of the diverticulum. Consideration should be given to alternative means of evaluating motility, such as endoscopy-assisted HRM, given the high likelihood of failure with traditional HRM.

The Use of Intraoperative Esophageal Functional Luminal Imaging Probe for Prediction of Therapeutic Outcomes in Achalasia Patients

The Use of Intraoperative Esophageal Functional Luminal Imaging Probe for Prediction of Therapeutic Outcomes in Achalasia Patients

Pre-operative endoscopic balloon dilatation and its impact on outcome of laparoscopic Heller cardiomyotomy for patients with achalasia: does the frequency and interval matter?

Many surgeons believe that pre-operative balloon dilatation makes laparoscopic myotomy more difficult in achalasia patients. Herein, we wanted to see if prior pneumatic balloon dilatation led to worse outcomes after laparoscopic myotomy. We also assessed if the frequency of dilatations and the time interval between the last one and the surgical myotomy could affect these outcomes. The data of 460 patients was reviewed. They were divided into two groups: the balloon dilation (BD) group (102 patients) and the non-balloon dilatation (non-BD) group (358 patients). Although pre-operative parameters and surgical experience were comparable between the two groups, the incidence of mucosal perforation, operative time, and intraoperative blood loss significantly increased in the BD group. The same group also showed a significant delay in oral intake and an increased hospitalization period. At a median follow-up of 4 years, the incidence of post-operative reflux increased in the BD group, while patient satisfaction decreased. Patients with multiple previous dilatations showed a significant increase in operative time, blood loss, perforation incidence, hospitalization period, delayed oral intake, and reflux esophogitis compared to single-dilatation patients. When compared to long-interval cases, patients with short intervals had a higher incidence of mucosal perforation and a longer hospitalization period. Pre-operative balloon dilatation has a significant negative impact on laparoscopic myotomy short and long term outcomes. It is associated with a significant increase in operative time, blood loss, mucosal injury, hospitalization period, and incidence of reflux symptoms. More poor outcomes are encountered in patients with multiple previous dilatations and who have a short time interval between the last dilatation and the myotomy.

Clinical Outcomes and Complications for Achalasia Patients Admitted After Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy.

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a rapidly emerging minimally invasive procedure for management of achalasia. Same-day discharge after POEM is safe and feasible; however, some patients may need hospitalization. We aimed to identify characteristics and outcomes for achalasia patients requiring hospitalizations after POEM in the United States (US). The US National Inpatient Sample was utilized to identify all adult achalasia patients who were admitted after POEM from 2016 to 2019. Hospitalization characteristics and clinical outcomes were highlighted. From 2016 to 2019, we found that 1,885 achalasia patients were admitted after POEM. There was an increase in the total number of hospitalizations after POEM from 380 in 2016 to 490 in 2019. The mean age increased from 54.2 years in 2016 to 59.3 years in 2019. Most POEM-related hospitalizations were for the 65 - 79 age group (31.8%), females (50.4%), and Whites (68.4%). A majority (56.2%) of the study population had a Charlson Comorbidity Index of 0. The Northeast hospital region had the highest number of POEM-related hospitalizations. Most of these patients (88.3%) were eventually discharged home. There was no inpatient mortality. The mean length of stay decreased from 4 days in 2016 to 3.2 days in 2019, while the mean total healthcare charge increased from $52,057 in 2016 to $65,109 in 2019. Esophageal perforation was the most common complication seen in 1.3% of patients. The number of achalasia patients needing hospitalization after POEM increased. There was no inpatient mortality conferring an excellent safety profile of this procedure.

Fundoplication in Pediatric Achalasia Patients Undergoing Heller’s Myotomy: A Systematic Review

Background: Achalasia is a rare motility disorder, with the incidence being the lowest among children. The disease is caused by the inability of the LOS to relax and the absence of normal peristalsis of esophagus. Heller’s myotomy has been known to be the gold standard management of achalasia, however, reports on postoperative GERD were established in the past. To control the reflux symptoms, fundoplication has been used as an addition to Heller’s myotomy. Unfortunately, there has been an inconclusive finding from available studies regarding the need for performing fundoplication. Hence, we aim to determine whether or not the addition of fundoplication to Heller myotomy in achalasia children resulted in better postoperative outcomes and fewer complications of GERD.&#x0D; Methods: A literature search was carried out in four databases: Medline, EMBASE, Pubmed, and Cochrane Library. The search was limited to publications from 2006 to 2019, English studies, and achalasia patients age 0-18 years old that underwent Heller’s myotomy. The exclusion of studies from the primary screening according to title and abstracts and secondary screening on the full text were done according to a priori protocol. Duplicate studies were also eliminated by using reference management software and manually.&#x0D; Results: A total of 446 studies were retrieved from the search. Preliminary screening based on the eligibility criteria resulted in 21 articles to be included in this review. A total of 410 patients were included in this study, in which 80 underwent HM alone and 330 experienced fundoplication as an adjunct to HM (HMF). There was a higher proportion of asymptomatic patients in the HM group (56.3%) compared to HMF (48.8%). Both groups had a similar rate of complications (HMF 12.1%, HM 10.0%). However, in terms of postoperative GERD, slightly better results were seen among HMF patients (9.7%) than HM (15%).&#x0D; Conclusion: Fundoplication did not result in better resolution of symptoms, as seen from its percentage of asymptomatic patients. Improvements in postoperative GERD were seen in HMF patients, however, it was deemed as insignificant. The findings suggest that there was a limited benefit in using fundoplication.

Salvage peroral endoscopic myotomy is a promising treatment for achalasia after myotomy failure

Reintervention modalities after myotomy failure in achalasia patients have yet to be established. The efficacy and safety of salvage peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for treatment of achalasia after myotomy failure were evaluated in the study. Between August 2011 and August 2021 at the Endoscopy Center of Zhongshan Hospital, 219 achalasia patients who had previously undergone a myotomy underwent a salvage POEM and were thus retrospectively enrolled in this study. After propensity score matching (PSM), operation-related parameters were compared between the salvage POEM group and the naïve POEM group. Subgroup analysis was performed between patients with previous Heller myotomy (HM) and patients with previous POEM. With similar baseline characteristics between both groups after PSM, the salvage POEM group presented with shorter tunnel length (11.8 ± 2.2 cm vs 12.8 ± .9 cm, P< .0001) and myotomy length (9.8 ± 2.0 cm vs 10.4 ± 1.0 cm, P< .0001) than the naïve POEM group. No significant differences were found in procedure-related adverse events between patients of salvage POEM and naïve POEM. The primary outcome of treatment success occurred in 175 of 193 patients (90.7%) in the salvage POEM group versus 362 of 374 patients (96.8%) in the naïve POEM group (P= .0046). At a 2- and 5-year follow-up, significantly higher rates of clinical failures were observed in the previous HM subgroup than in the previous POEM subgroup (P= .0433 and P= .0230, respectively). Salvage POEM after a previous myotomy failure, especially after a POEM failure, is a promising treatment option because it has a durable clinical relief rate.

Characteristics of the esophageal microbiome in patients with achalasia and its changes before and after peroral endoscopic myotomy: A pilot study.

Achalasia often presents with chronic food stasis and fermentation in the esophageal lumen, which may lead to alterations of the esophageal microbiome, with associated mucosal inflammation and dysplastic changes. The study aims to evaluate the characteristics of the esophageal microbiome in achalasia and changes of the esophageal microbiome before and after peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). This is a prospective case-control study. This study enrolled patients with achalasia and asymptomatic subjects as control group. Endoscopic brushing for esophageal microbiome collection was performed in all subjects, with additional follow-up endoscopy and brushing 3months after POEM in achalasia patients. The composition of the esophageal microbiome was determined and compared between (1) achalasia patients and asymptomatic controls and (2) achalasia patients before and after POEM. Thirty-one achalasia patients (mean age 53.5±16.2years; male 45.2%) and 15 controls were analyzed. We observed a distinct esophageal microbial community structure in achalasia patients, with increased Firmicutes and decreased Proteobacteria when compared with the control group at the phylum level. The discriminating enriched genera in achalasia patients were Lactobacillus, followed by Megasphaera and Bacteroides, and the amount of Lactobacillus was associated with the severity of achalasia. Twenty patients were re-examined after POEM, and a high prevalence of erosive esophagitis (55%) was noted, alongside an increase in genus Neisseria and decrease in Lactobacillus and Bacteroides. The altered esophageal microenvironment in achalasia leads to dysbiosis with a high abundance of genus Lactobacillus. Increased Neisseria and decreased Lactobacillus were observed after POEM. The long-term effect of microbial changes warrants further study.

Pneumatic Dilation in Geriatric Achalasia Patients.

The aim of the study was to share the effectiveness of pneumatic dilation in geriatric achalasia patients. Achalasia patients over the age of 65 and those under the age of 65 as the control group who received pneumatic dilation as the first-line treatment were evaluated in the study. The average age of geriatric patients was 72.5 ± 55.92 years (65-90), with 50.3% of them being male. Follow-up was conducted for a mean of 64.52 ± 38.73 months. While pneumatic dilation was successful in 98.6% (141/143) of geriatric patients, it was also successful in 94% (141/150) of non-geriatric patients. Remission after single balloon dilatation was observed in 81.8% of geriatric patients, while it was observed in only 52.7% of non-geriatric patients (P = .000). When comparing remission after single dilatation and multiple dilatations, it was observed that geriatric patients who achieved remission after multiple balloon dilatation had higher lower esophageal sphincter pressure and Eckardt scores at the diagnosis and higher lower esophageal sphincter pressure and esophageal body resting pressures after the first balloon dilatation. The proportion of elders in the world population is increasing daily and this disease has been known to disproportionately afflict this group. Although surgical treatments, in particular per-oral endoscopic myotomy, have recently gained popularity as therapies for achalasia, pneumatic dilation remains the most commonly used in geriatric patients.

Correlation between Lower Esophageal Sphincter Metrics on High-Resolution Manometry and the Clinical Presentation of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Achalasia

Achalasia is characterized by aperistalsis with poor relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). We aimed to systematically assess whether LES metrics on high-resolution manometry (HRM) correlate with the symptomatic or endoscopic presentation of patients with achalasia. A retrospective study was performed at two tertiary medical centers. All cases of newly diagnosed, untreated achalasia were reviewed for demographics, symptoms, and endoscopic findings. These were correlated with HRM metrics, including LES basal pressure (LESP), integrated relaxation pressure (IRP), percent LES relaxation, and esophagogastric junction (EGJ) morphology. 108 achalasia patients were included; 56 (51.9%) were men, with a mean overall age of 55.6 ± 17.9 years old. Achalasia subtypes included 23.1% with Type I, 65.7% Type II, and 11.1% Type III. Mean LESP was 40.9 ± 13.7 mmHg, IRP 26.8 ± 11.5 mmHg, with 36% ± 20% LES relaxation. On univariate analyses, a higher IRP was associated with age < 50 (p = 0.028), female sex (p = 0.030), Arab ethnicity (p < 0.001), weight loss (p = 0.016), a tortuous esophagus (p = 0.036), and resistance at the EGJ (p = 0.033). However, on multivariate regression analyses, only ethnicity remained significantly associated with IRP. No unique variables were associated with either LESP or percent LES relaxation. Achalasia subtype and Eckardt score were not associated with any LES metrics. Non-Type 1 EGJ morphology was associated with a lower LESP. LES metrics on HRM do not appear to correlate with the clinical or endoscopic presentation of patients with untreated achalasia.

Identifying spastic variant of type II achalasia after treatment with high-resolution manometry and FLIP Panometry.

Panesophageal pressurization (PEP) defines type II achalasia on high-resolution-manometry (HRM) but some patients exhibit spasm after treatment. The Chicago Classification (CC) v4.0 proposed high PEP values as predictor of embedded spasm, yet supportive evidence is lacking. Fifty seven type II achalasia patients (47 ± 18 years, 54% males) with HRM and LIP Panometry before and after treatment were retrospectively identified. Baseline HRM and FLIP studies were analyzed to identify factors associated with post-treatment spasm, defined on HRM per CC v4.0. Seven patients (12%) had spasm following treatment (peroral endoscopic myotomy 47%; pneumatic dilation [PD] 37%; laparoscopic Heller myotomy 16%). At baseline, greater median maximum PEP pressure (MaxPEP) values on HRM (77 vs 55 mmHg, p= 0.045) and spastic-reactive contractile response pattern on FLIP (43% vs 8%, p= 0.033) were more common in patients with post-treatment spasm while absent contractile response on FLIP was more common in patients without spasm (14% vs 66%, p= 0.014). The strongest predictor of post-treatment spasm was the percentage of swallows with MaxPEP ≥70 mmHg (best cut-off: ≥30%), with AUROC of 0.78. A combination of MaxPEP <70 mmHg and FLIP 60 mL pressure < 40 mmHg identified patients with lower rates of post-treatment spasm (3% overall, 0% post-PD) compared to those with values above these thresholds (33% overall, 83% post-PD). High maximum PEP values, high FLIP 60 mL pressures and contractile response pattern on FLIP Panometry prior to treatment identified type II achalasia patients more likely to exhibit post-treatment spasm. Evaluating these features may guide personalized patient management.

Oesophagus Achalasia Diagnosis from Esophagoscopy Based on a Serial Multi-scale Network

ABSTRACT Oesophageal achalasia is a primary oesophageal motility disorder disease. To diagnose oesophagus achalasia, physicians recommend endoscopic evaluation of the oesophagus. However, a low sensitivity still accompanies esophagoscopy on oesophagus achalasia diagnosis. Thus, a quantitative diagnosis system is needed to support physicians diagnose achalasia from the esophagoscopy video. This paper proposes a Serial Multi-scale Network for classifying achalasia images from the esophagoscopy video. The proposed method contains two main components, a Dense-pooling Net, and a Serial Multi-scale Dilated encoder. We construct the Dense-pooling Net using a convolution neural network with dense mixed-pooling connections to extract features. We design the Serial Multi-scale Dilated encoder based on a residual-style dilated encoder. We combine the dilated encoder and spatial attention modules to focus on features we need. We trained and evaluated our method with a dataset that was extracted from several esophagoscopy videos of achalasia patients. The evaluation results reveal a state-of-the-art accuracy of achalasia diagnosis. Furthermore, we developed a real-time computer-aided achalasia diagnosis system with the trained network. In the real-time test, the achalasia diagnosis system can stably output the diagnosis results in only seconds. The extended experiments demonstrate that the constructed diagnosis system can diagnose achalasia from esophagoscopy videos.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of GERD among Stable COPD Patients

Introduction: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common causes of a chronic cough and is a potential risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of GERD in COPD patients. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 40 stable COPD patients recruited from outpatient asthma and COPD clinics at Persahabatan National Respiratory Referral Hospital, Jakarta, from May to November 2018. COPD was defined as having a ratio of post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC &lt; 0.7 and no abnormality on a chest X-ray except emphysematous. Diagnosis of GERD was based on oesophageal mucosal lining break surrounding the distal esophageal sphincter through esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Asthma patients with known esophageal diseases such as cancer, achalasia, and active peptic ulcer and patients who had used proton pump inhibitors in the last 15 days were excluded. Results: Patients were divided into GERD (+) (16/40, 40%) and GERD (-) (24/40, 60%). Subjects were predominantly elderly (25/40, 62.5%) and had a smoking history (36/40, 90%). Exacerbation and COPD assessment test (CAT) score was significantly associated with GERD (p &lt; 0.05). No significant difference regarding age, sex, Brinkman Index, lung function, and body mass index (BMI) was found between groups. However, the GERD (+) group showed a slightly higher BMI and more severe airflow obstruction. Conclusion: The prevalence of GERD in COPD patients found in this study was as high as 40%. A cohort study and preventive strategy of GERD in COPD should be studied further.

Influence of Anxiety and Depression on the Symptoms of Achalasia Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study in China during COVID-19

Background: Idiopathic achalasia (AC) may be affected by anxiety and/or depression; however, reliable evidence is still lacking. The present retrospective cohort study aimed to explore the influence of psycho-mental factors on the severity of AC. Methods: All patients in the AC database of the Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from 2012 to 2020 were divided into two subgroups, intervention (n = 202) and medication (n = 84), according to previous treatments. Healthy people (n = 300) who underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy comprised the control group. The severity of symptoms and the anxiety and depression score of AC patients and controls were monitored by telephone and compared before and during COVID-19. In addition, the factors of AC symptoms during the COVID-19 were discussed by multiple linear regression. Results: During COVID-19, the anxiety and depression levels of AC patients and healthy individuals were deteriorated. For AC patients, before and after COVID-19, symptoms, anxiety, and depression scores in the medication group were more serious than those in the intervention group. Furthermore, previous therapy, depression, and gender were found to be significantly related to the severity of AC symptoms during COVID-19. Conclusions: The outbreak of COVID-19 made AC patients and healthy people anxious and depressed. Depression rather than anxiety might worsen the AC symptoms. Interventional therapy might protect AC patients against psychological abnormalities during COVID-19.