Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0014848 (achalasia)
 2,804 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The most important etiologies of achalasia are idiopathic and related to Chagas' disease. The lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) in idiopathic achalasia (Id Ach) is higher compared with a healthy group, but there are different reports in Chagasic achalasia (Ch Ach). We compared the LESP of patients with both forms of achalasia and a control group. The LESP of 213 achalasia patients without previous treatment and 32 healthy volunteers were assessed. In 126 patients, the etiology could be demonstrated using serologic tests (Id Ach, 94 and Ch Ach, 32). The LESP of 213 patients was 31.86+/-14.18 mmHg and in the control group was 17.92+/-7.03 mmHg (P < 0.0001). The LESP in Id Ach and Ch Ach was 33.28+/-13.63 mmHg and 23.5+/-12.09 mmHg (P < 0.0001), respectively. Only the Id Ach group achieved statistical difference in relation to the control group (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, the LESP of Id Ach patients was higher than in Ch Ach patients and the control group, but there was no LESP difference between the Ch Ach and control groups.
Dis Esophagus 2001
PMID:Lower esophageal sphincter pressure in idiopathic achalasia and Chagas disease-related achalasia. 1186 26

We study the utility of intraoperative endoscopic control, in laparoscopic surgical treatment of the typical Achalasia of Esophagus. 81 patients were intervened surgically in Centro de Cirugia Endoscopica. Hospital Universitario Calixto Garcia in a five year-old period. All patients received intraoperative endoscopic evaluation to guarantee the effectiveness and integrity of the esophago-cardiomyotomy. The average time of surgical procedure was of 144,7 minutes. The transendoscopic complication in relation with endoscopic procedure was seen in one case but it didn't modify the morbi-mortality of the study. According to Vantrappen classification, 79 patients were considered with a evolution between excellent and good. The use of endoscopic intraoperative control is recommended in the surgical interventions of the patients with achalasia.
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PMID:[Intraoperative endoscopic surveillance in laparoscopic surgical treatment of achalasia]. 1217 Feb 84

Achalasia cardia is a disease of adolescents and is rare in children. In total, 12 children with primary achalasia, with a mean age of 10.8 +/- 2 years, were prospectively evaluated for the efficacy of a 30-mm-diameter Rigiflex balloon for relief of symptoms and weight gain after 1 and 6 months of follow up. The 12 children were evaluated and treated for achalasia, with pneumatic balloon dilatation, from January 1998 to December 2000. They were studied for basal, 1-, and 6-month post-dilatation composite symptoms for dysphagia, regurgitation, night cough and heartburn. Basal and 5-min post-dilatation barium swallow were obtained to compare barium height and width for efficacy of dilatation and to evaluate for complications. There were no complications. Barium height, width, composite symptom score and weight improved significantly up to the 6-month follow up. Rigiflex balloon dilatation of 30-mm diameter is safe and effective in children with achalasia.
Dis Esophagus 2002
PMID:Efficacy of Rigiflex balloon dilatation in 12 children with achalasia: a 6-month prospective study showing weight gain and symptomatic improvement. 1222 Apr 27

Controversy persists in the surgical approach to treat esophageal achalasia. This investigation reports the long-term effects of esophageal myotomy and partial fundoplication in treating this disorder. From 1984 to 1998, 32 patients with achalasia underwent myotomy and partial fundoplication (Belsey Mark IV) using a left thoracotomy. The median follow up is 7.2 years. Assessments include clinical evaluation, esophagogram, radionuclide transit, manometry, 24-h pH, and endoscopy. There is no complication and no mortality. Preoperative assessment was compared with that in 0-3, 3-7, and 7-16 postoperative years. Clinically, the prevalence of dysphagia was decreased from 100% to 6%, 12%, and 13%, respectively (P < 0.001). Heartburn remains unchanged (P > 0.25). On radiology, the prevalence of barium stasis was decreased from 97% to 44%, 48%, and 47%, respectively (P=0.001), whereas a pseudo-diverticulum was observed in two-thirds of patients after operation (P=0.001). Percent radionuclide stasis at 2 min was measured as 70%, 17%, 20%, and 20%, respectively (P=0.001). Manometrically, lower esophageal sphincter (LES) gradient was decreased from 29 to 10, 9, and 9 mmHg, respectively (P=0.001). LES relaxation was improved from 41% preoperatively to 100% postoperatively at each postoperative period (P < 0.001). An abnormal acid exposure was observed in four patients after the operation. Endoscopy documented mucosal damage in three patients (P > 0.25). In conclusion, on long-term follow up, myotomy and partial fundoplication for achalasia relieve obstructive symptoms and improve esophageal emptying, and reduce LES gradient and improve LES relaxation. Acid reflux is recorded in 13% of patients and esophageal mucosal damage is identified in 11% of the patient population. A longer myotomy not covered by the fundoplication results in pseudodiverticulum formation and increased esophageal retention.
Dis Esophagus 2002
PMID:Long-term effects of myotomy and partial fundoplication for esophageal achalasia. 1222 Apr 28

The study investigated the esophageal motility of 98 patients with Chagas' disease and 40 asymptomatic volunteers, with the objective of comparing patients with vigorous achalasia (distal amplitude contractions >/= 37 mmHg) and patients with classical achalasia (amplitude < 37 mmHg). The Chagas' disease patients had normal esophageal radiologic transit (n=60) or esophageal slow transit and retention without dilation (n=38). The manometric method with continuous perfusion was used to study esophageal motility. Comparison of classical and vigorous achalasia showed no difference in duration of contractions, lower and upper esophageal sphincter pressure, proportion of patients with dysphagia, or the number of multipeaked contractions. The number of failed contractions was higher in patients with classic achalasia than in patients with vigorous achalasia. We conclude that the distinction between classical and vigorous achalasia does not seem to be important for the classification of Chagas' disease.
Dis Esophagus 2002
PMID:Vigorous achalasia in Chagas' disease. 1247 77

Our experience with videolaparoscopic operations for hiatus hernia and achalasia, which have almost replaced classical procedures, enabled us to use the same technique for other interventions in the distal third of the thoracic esophagus. Thus, we were able to treat epiphrenic diverticulum using a minimally invasive approach. We report our experience with videolaparoscopic diverticulum resection. The procedure was performed in three patients, all of them elderly men with ventilation limitation and a history of a chest intervention. The procedure included myotomy and an antireflux procedure. No significant complications occurred during the operations or postoperative periods; a minor leak that was successfully managed conservatively occurred in one patient. We conclude that videolaparoscopy could be a possible alternative to the standard classical left-side thoracotomy approach for patients in whom a classical operation is not feasible.
Dis Esophagus 2002
PMID:Laparoscopic transhiatal resection of epiphrenic diverticulum. 1247 80

According to the WHO, 16-18 million people in Central and South America are infected by Trypanosoma cruzi. Chagasic achalasia affects between 7.1% and 10.6% of the population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Botox injections in the clinical response and esophageal function of patients with dysphagia due to chagasic achalasia. In total, 24 symptomatic patients with chagasic achalasia were randomly chosen to receive Botulinum Toxin (BT) or saline injected by endoscopy in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Patients were monitored with a clinical score of dysphagia and an objective assessment (esophagograms, scintillography, manometry, and nutritional assessment) for a period of 6 months. Clinical improvement of dysphagia was statistically significant (P < 0.001) in patients receiving BT when compared with the placebo. There was no significant difference in the placebo group regarding clinical score, LES basal pressure and esophageal emptying time. Esophageal emptying time in the toxin group was significantly lower than in the placebo (P=0.04) after 90 days. There were non-significant increases in esophageal emptying of 25.36% and 17.39%, respectively, at 90 and 180 days, in the BT group (P=0.266). Gender, age, and baseline LES pressure did not influence the response to BT. Our data strongly suggests that intrasphincteric injection of BT in LES is clinically effective in the treatment of chagasic achalasia.
Dis Esophagus 2003
PMID:Intrasphincteric botulinum toxin injection in the treatment of chagasic achalasia. 1258 Dec 52

Botulinum toxin A (BoTx), a potent inhibitor of acetylcholine release from nerve endings both within the myenteric plexus and at the nerve-muscle junction, has been shown to decrease the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure in patients with achalasia. Because of this property, the esophageal injection of BoTx has been suggested as an alternative treatment in achalasia. The objective of this study was to determine the long-term efficacy and safety of intrasphincteric injection of BoTx in a group of achalasic patients. Nineteen patients (mean age 56.1 +/- 19.2 years) were enrolled in the study. All of them were injected endoscopically with 100 U of BoTx by sclerotherapy needle at different sites of the LES. Symptom score (dysphagia, regurgitation and chest pain, each on a 0-3 scale), esophageal manometer and esophageal radionuclide emptying were assessed before the treatment and at 4 weeks, 3 months and 1 year after BoTx injection. In case of failure or relapse (symptom score > 2), the treatment was repeated. All but five patients (74%) were in clinical remission at 1 month. Mean symptom score after 1 month of BoTx decreased from 7.1 +/- 0.9 to 2.2 +/- 2.5 (p < 0.05). LES pressure decreased from 38.4 +/- 13.7 to 27.4 +/- 13.5 mmHg (p < 0.05) and 10-min radionuclide retention decreased from 70.9 +/- 20.7% to 33.8 +/- 27.0% (p < 0.05). Side-effects (transient chest pain) were mild and infrequent. At 12 months, the clinical score was 0.9 +/- 0.5 (p < 0.05 vs. basal); mean LES pressure was 22.0 +/- 7.1 (p < 0.05 vs. basal) and 10-min radionuclide retention was 15.8 +/- 6.0% (p < 0.05 vs. basal). The efficacy of the first injection of BoTx lasted for a mean period of 9 months (range 2-14 months). At the time of writing (follow-up period mean 17.6 months, range 2-31), 14 patients (10 with one injection) were still in remission (74%). Our results showed that one or two intrasphincteric injections of BoTx resulted in clinical and objective improvement in about 74% of achalasic patients and are not associated with serious adverse effects; the efficacy of BoTx treatment was long lasting; this procedure could be considered an attractive treatment, especially in elderly patients who are poor candidates for more invasive procedures.
Dis Esophagus 2000
PMID:Long-term follow-up of achalasic patients treated with botulinum toxin. 1460 98

Until now, it has not been quite clear which muscular fibers are cut when a cardiomyotomy for achalasia is carried out. In the present report, in a human achalasic gastroesophageal specimen, the mucosa of the stenotic segment was stripped off, allowing the fibers of the inner muscular coat to be seen. In addition, three cardiomyotomies at different sites were simulated. In achalasic specimens, the stenotic area is formed by the semicircular ('clasp') and oblique ('sling') muscular fibers. Different myotomies section these two muscular bands in distinct proportions. The stenotic segment in achalasia coincides topographically with the anatomic lower esophageal sphincter area. The site of cardiomyotomy is not irrelevant because this sphincter is not an annular muscle and the two muscular components of the sphincter can be sectioned in different ways. This may be important in post-operative results with regard to the relief of dysphagia and the appearance of gastroesophageal reflux.
Dis Esophagus 2000
PMID:Cardiomyotomy in achalasia: which fibers do we cut? 1460 99

We studied the premalignant nature of achalasia using anti-Ki-67 and anti-p53 monoclonal antibodies immunohistochemically. In this study, four patients with esophageal carcinoma and achalasia were investigated. Three tumors were pT4 (UICC pTNM) and one tumor was pT1. The majority of non-malignant esophageal epithelium showed esophagitis and/or dysplasia histologically. Esophageal epithelial cells in the lesions of esophagitis and/or dysplasia had a higher number of Ki-67-positive cells than normal epithelial cells. p53 protein was expressed in two tumors and it was not expressed in non-malignant epithelium. From these results, we found that esophageal epithelium in achalasia lesions is changed to varying degrees of esophagitis and/or dysplasia by stagnation of intake foods, and these abnormal epithelial cells showed a high proliferative state compared with the normal cells without the p53 gene mutation. We suggest that the distinct proliferative status is a cause of carcinogenesis.
Dis Esophagus 2000
PMID:Histopathological analysis of non-malignant and malignant epithelium in achalasia of the esophagus. 1460


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