The Effect of Race in Patients with Achalasia Diagnosed With High-Resolution Esophageal Manometry

Background

The advent of the Chicago Classification for esophageal motility disorders allowed for clinically reproducible subgrouping of patients with achalasia based on manometric phenotype. However, there are limited data with regards to racial variation using high-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM). The aim of our study was to evaluate the racial differences in patients with achalasia diagnosed with HREM using the Chicago Classification. We evaluated the clinical presentation, treatment decisions and outcomes between blacks and non-blacks with achalasia to identify potential racial disparities.

Effect of Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation on Esophageal Motility in Patients with Achalasia and Scleroderma

It has been suggested that low-frequency transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) alleviates the dysphagia produced by achalasia and scleroderma of the esophagus. The present study was conducted to elucidate whether TENS treatment improves dysphagia because of changes it induces on esophageal motility. We studied nine achalasia patients before forceful dilatation of the cardias, nine achalasia patients after dilatation, and nine patients with scleroderma. High-frequency TENS was applied to the hand for 30min while esophageal motility was monitored by manometry. In none of the groups did TENS produce any change in the basal tone of the lower esophageal sphincter, lower esophageal sphincter relaxation, or esophageal body wave amplitude. Low-frequency TENS, used in another seven untreated achalasia patients, also did not improve esophageal motility. Our data indicate that high- or low-frequency TENS does not induce detectable changes in esophageal motility in patients with achalasia or scleroderma.     

食管测压在不典型贲门失弛缓症诊断中的应用

早期或不典型贲门失弛缓症临床诊断较难,X线钡餐检查敏感性较低.该病可能与食管动力障碍有关,食管测压对其诊断可能有较高的价值.目的:通过分析不典型贲门失弛缓症患者的食管测压参数,探讨其特征性表现,为早期诊断提供依据.方法:对21例不典型贲门失弛缓症、15例典型贲门失弛缓症和10名健康对照者进行食管压力测定.结果:不典型贲门失弛缓症组与典型贲门失弛缓症组的LES静息压类似,但均显著高于健康对照组(P＜0.01).健康对照组、不典型贲门失弛缓症组和典型贲门失弛缓症组的LES残余压呈递增趋势,且两两比较有显著差异(P＜0.01);不典型贲门失弛缓症组仅6例(28.6%)患者LES静息压增加,但有14例(67.7%)LES残余压增加.不典型贲门失弛缓症组50.2%的患者吞咽后LES可完全松弛,松弛率与典型贲门失弛缓症组比较无显著差异,但显著低于健康对照组(P＜0.01).食管体部收缩振幅在三组间无显著差异,多数失弛缓症患者湿咽后表现为无传导性同步收缩,与健康对照组比较有显著差异(P＜0.01).结论:不典型和典型贲门失弛缓症患者的LES静息压和LES松弛率均显著高于健康对照组,但用于诊断贲门失弛缓症敏感性较低.LES残余压对不典型贲门失弛缓症的诊断有较高的敏感性.吞咽后食管体部无传导性同步收缩是所有贲门失弛缓症患者的特征.     

食管测压在评估气囊扩张术治疗贲门失弛缓症疗效中的作用

背景：贲门失弛缓症是原发性食管运动功能障碍性疾病，气囊扩张术是目前治疗本病的主要方法之一。目的：探讨食管压力测定在评估气囊扩张术治疗贲门失弛缓症疗效中的作用。方法：予21例贲门失弛缓症患者内镜下气囊扩张术，治疗前后行食管压力检测，分析食管下括约肌（LES）和食管体部各参数的变化。结果：扩张后，21例患者的吞咽困难和反流症状消失。与扩张前相比，扩张后LES长度无显著差异，LES静息压和LES残余压显著降低（P〈0．01），LES松弛率显著升高（P〈0．05）。扩张后食管体部同步收缩波和吞咽蠕动波消失的发生率较扩张前无显著差异，继发性收缩波和食管体部静息压高于胃内静息压的发生率较扩张前显著降低（P〈0．01）。结论：气囊扩张术能显著提高LES松弛率，降低LES静息压、LES残余压、食管体部静息压和继发性蠕动波的发生率，迅速缓解患者症状。食管压力测定对评估气囊扩张术治疗贲门失弛缓症的疗效具有重要意义。     

Clinical,Endoscopic, and Radiologic Features of Three Subtypes of Achalasia,Classified Using High-Resolution Manometry

Background/Aims:

High-resolution manometry (HRM) has improved the accuracy of manometry in detecting achalasia and determining its subtypes. However, the correlation of achalasia subtypes with clinical, endoscopic, and radiologic findings has not been assessed. We aimed to evaluate and compare the clinical, endoscopic, and fluoroscopy findings associated with three subtypes of achalasia using HRM.

Patients and Methods:

The retrospective clinical data, HRM, endoscopy, and radiologic findings were obtained from the medical records of untreated achalasia patients.

Results:

From 2011 to 2013, 374 patients underwent HRM. Fifty-two patients (14%) were diagnosed with achalasia, but only 32 (8.5%) of these patients had not received treatment and were therefore included in this study. The endoscopy results were normal in 28% of the patients, and a barium swallow was inconclusive in 31% of the achalasia patients. Ten patients (31%) were classified as having type I achalasia, 17 (53%) were classified as type II, and 5 (16%) were classified as type III. Among the three subtypes, type I patients were on average the youngest and had the longest history of dysphagia, mildest chest pain, most significant weight loss, and most dilated esophagus with residual food. Chest pain was most common in type III patients, and frequently had normal fluoroscopic and endoscopic results.

Conclusion:

The clinical, radiologic, and endoscopic findings were not significantly different between patients with type I and type II untreated achalasia. Type III patients had the most severe symptoms and were the most difficult to diagnose based on varied clinical, radiologic, and endoscopic findings.     

Comparison of Air-Coupled Balloon Esophageal and Anorectal Manometry Catheters with Solid-State Esophageal Manometry and Water-Perfused Anorectal Manometry Catheters

Clinical gastrointestinal manometry studies are currently performed with multilumen water-perfused polyvinyl or strain gauge sensor solid-state catheters. A disposable catheter incorporating air-filled balloons has been developed with performance characteristics suitable for esophageal and anorectal manometry studies. Our aim was to compare esophageal and anorectal pressure measurements using this newly developed catheter with measurements obtained using standard solid-state or water-perfused catheters. Measurements of resting LES pressure, esophageal contraction amplitudes, and anorectal rest and squeeze pressures were obtained in 10 healthy volunteers using a solid-state esophageal catheter, a water-perfused anorectal catheter, and air-filled balloon esophageal and anorectal catheters. Correlation coefficient analysis demonstrated that LES pressures, esophageal contraction amplitudes, and anorectal resting and squeeze pressures were not significantly among between the different catheters. We conclude that recently developed air-filled balloon esophageal and anorectal manometry catheters provide very similar measurements of LES, esophageal body, and anorectal sphincter pressures compared to presently used manometry catheters.     

经口内镜下肌切开术治疗贲门失弛缓症前后食管动力的变化

贲门失弛缓症的治疗目的为降低下食管括约肌压力(LESP),减轻梗阻,改善临床症状。经口内镜下肌切开术(POEM)近年来开始用于贲门失弛缓症的治疗。目的:通过分析手术前后食管动力的变化,评估POEM治疗贲门失弛缓症的近期疗效。方法:纳入2011年12月~2012年10月在南京鼓楼医院诊断为贲门失弛缓症并接受POEM治疗的39例患者,对其手术前后食管液态测压和近期随访结果进行回顾性分析。结果:38例患者完成POEM和术后3 d食管测压。术后3 d LESP较术前显著降低(P0.01),LES松弛率与术前相比无明显差异。术前和术后3 d食管体部均表现为蠕动性收缩消失,同步收缩比例增加。术后1个月随访,LESP仍显著低于术前(P0.05),37例患者吞咽困难明显好转,有效率为94.9%。结论:POEM治疗贲门失弛缓症近期内降低LESP和缓解临床症状效果明显,但对恢复食管蠕动功能作用有限。食管测压对贲门失弛缓症术后疗效评估有一定价值。     

多通道腔内阻抗技术在胃食管反流病诊断中的应用

24h食管pH监测有助于诊断胃食管反流病（GERD）,但其只能发现pH〈4的酸反流。多通道腔内阻抗（MII）技术通过记录食管腔内食团通过所引起的阻抗值变化,可在多种食管水平上发现胃食管反流事件而不依赖于反流物的pH值,同步联合pH监测可明确反流物的酸度、反流持续和清除时间、反流到达近端食管的高度等。本文就MII技术及其在GERD诊断中的临床应用作一综述。     

New technologies in the gastrointestinal clinic and research： Impedance and high-resolution manometry

The last five years have been an exciting time in the study of esophageal motor disorders due to the recent advances in esophageal function testing. New technologies have emerged, such as intraluminal impedance, while conventional techniques, such as manometry, have enjoyed many improvements due to advances in transducer technology, computerization and graphic data presentation. While these techniques provide more detailed information regarding esophageal function, our understanding of whether they can improve our ability to diagnose and treat patients more effectively is evolving. These techniques are also excellent research tools and they have added substantially to our understanding of esophageal motor function in dysphagia. This review describes the potential benefits that these new technologies may have over conventional techniques for the evaluation of dysphagia.     

非梗阻性食管源性吞咽困难患者食管测压结果分析

背景:食管源性吞咽困难的病因可分为机械性梗阻和动力障碍两类。目前关于致吞咽困难的食管动力障碍类型的研究相对较少。目的:分析非梗阻性食管源性吞咽困难患者的食管测压结果,探讨引起吞咽困难症状的常见食管动力障碍类型。方法:纳入2007年1月～2012年6月西安交通大学医学院第二附属医院50例以吞咽困难为主诉而行食管测压者,对其测压结果进行分析。入组患者通过病史询问、内镜或食管钡透检查等除外非食管源性和梗阻性吞咽困难。结果:36例(72.0%)患者的食管动力障碍类型为非特异性食管动力障碍(NEMD),13例(26.0%)为贲门失弛缓症,1例(2.0%)食管测压结果正常。9例(18.0%)合并胃食管反流病者均为NEMD。NEMD和贲门失弛缓症患者的食管动力障碍均以食管体部运动功能紊乱和下食管括约肌功能异常为主。结论:本组非梗阻性食管源性吞咽困难患者的食管动力障碍类型多为NEMD,其次为贲门失弛缓症。非梗阻性食管源性吞咽困难患者的食管测压结果可能正常。     

24小时食管pH监测和食管测压在胃食管反流病中的应用

目的：对８０例患者同时进行食管测压和２４小时ｐＨ值监测,探讨压力和２４小时ｐＨ值与胃食管反流及反流性食管 炎间的关系。方法：８０例病人分为Ａ组无反流症状;Ｂ组有反流症状,但内镜或Ｘ线检查无食管炎;Ｃ组有反流症状,内 镜或Ｘ线检查有食管炎。使用多导胃肠功能测定仪测定食管上、下括约肌及食管体静息和吞咽时压力及运动功能; 同时使用便携式２４小时ｐＨ监测仪监测食管２４小时ｐＨ值。结果：Ｂ、Ｃ两组的下食管括约肌压力（ＬＥＳＰ）低于Ａ组（Ｐ＜ ０．０５）,且食管下段蠕动幅度低于Ａ组（Ｐ＜０．０１）;Ｃ组食管下段蠕动低于Ｂ组（Ｐ＜０．０５）;２４小时ｐＨ监测Ｂ、Ｃ两组各项 指标均明显高于Ａ组（Ｐ＜０．００１）。结论：胃食管反流与ＬＥＳＰ降低、食管下段蠕动减弱有关,ＬＥＳＰ低于１１ｍｍＨｇ食管 炎的危险性增加。其诊断以２４小时ｐＨ监测结果为准。     

贲门失弛缓症气囊扩张治疗前后食管运动功能的研究

目的：对１７例贲门失弛缓症患者扩张前后进行食管测压,研究贲门失弛缓症患者扩张治疗前后食管动力学特征及其与扩张疗效的关系。方法：贲门失弛缓症患者１７例,所有患者根据临床表现、钡餐、内镜和食管测压确诊,并在确诊后行气囊扩张。１７例扩张治疗前、治疗后３天以内及３月,１０例治疗后１年观察临床症状积分及测压指标。结果：（１）扩张后患者的下状明显改善,且持续１年（Ｐ〈０．０１）。（２）扩张后３天及３月ＬＥＳＰ     

贲门失弛缓症1例并文献复习

病例：患者男,31岁．因“间断呕吐20余年,加重半月”入院。患者20年前无明显诱因下呕吐胃内容物,带酸臭味．不含胆汁、血液和咖啡样物。进食后症状明显．每5—7d发作1次,每次量约300ml。呕吐为非喷射性,与体位、活动无关．伴反酸、烧心和上腹胀,无吞咽困难,无夜间呛咳,无咳嗽、咳痰．无声音嘶哑．无胸骨后疼痛,故未就诊。近半月来．患者呕吐症状加重,进食、饮水均可诱发．每日发作3～8次,近期体质量下降约10kg。入院前1d于当地医院行胃镜检查示慢性食管炎．幽门梗阻可能,为进一步诊治而入院。     

Acid Gastroesophageal Reflux Reports in Infants: A Comparison of Esophageal pH Monitoring and Multichannel Intraluminal Impedance Measurements

Twenty-four-hour tracings generated from combined esophageal pH and multichannel intraluminal impedance measurements of 14 infants (nine males, median age 3.5 months) were examined retrospectively. For each tracing, two acid reflux assessment reports were generated using either pH monitoring alone or pH monitoring combined with impedance. Significantly fewer acid reflux episodes were detected using pH monitoring combined with impedance when compared to pH monitoring alone (25.1±4.0 versus 99.9±18.3 episodes/patient, p=.001). Estimates of esophageal acid exposure using pH monitoring alone were two-fold higher (137.4±23.7 versus 66.6±15.9 min/patient, p=.002) than estimates derived using both techniques. Of the total acid reflux episodes detected by pH monitoring alone, 71.8% could not be confirmed by combined pH and impedance. Detection of significant numbers of “pH-only” episodes raises concerns regarding possible over-estimations of acid exposure that may occur when estimates are based solely on esophageal pH monitoring.This study was funded in part by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH 5R03DK62755-02) (HM) issued on July 1, 2002 (NIH, 900 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD).     

Characterization of Esophageal Striated Muscle in Patients with Achalasia

Many studies have been conducted analyzing the manometric properties of patients with achalasia, but the striated portion of the esophagus has never been analyzed and is often overlooked. We retrospectively reviewed 120 manometric tracings (20 achalasia, 100 controls) performed between 1994 and 1997 and excluded tracings from patients with chronic cough and nutcracker esophagus. The data were assessed for age, sex, symptoms, duration of symptoms, lower esophageal sphincter pressure, gastroesophageal gradient, upper esophageal sphincter pressure, smooth muscle contraction amplitude and duration, striated muscle contraction amplitude and duration, length from upper esophageal sphincter to maximal striated muscle contraction, and esophageal length. The maximum striated muscle contraction amplitude was significantly decreased in achalasia patients with a median amplitude of 45 mm Hg (range 12–95) vs 76 mm Hg (range 30–210) in the control group (P = 0.002). Although the wave forms were similar, the maximum striated muscle contraction duration and the distance from the upper esophageal sphincter in achalasia patients was not significantly different from controls. The length of the esophagus was significantly longer in achalasia patients with a median value of 25 cm (range 21–30) vs 21 cm (range 17–26) in the control group (P < 0.001). Patients with achalasia have significantly lower maximum striated muscle contraction amplitudes and longer esophagi, but the duration of the contractions and the configuration of the wave forms are not different.