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 paper describes the physiology of swallowing, the methods for the assessment of esophageal motility, and the motility disorders of the tubular part and the lower sphincter of the esophagus, except for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Primary esophageal motility disorders are achalasia (incomplete relaxation of the lower sphincter in response to swallowing), diffuse esophagospasm (simultaneous repetitive contractions), and the nutcracker esophagus (propulsive peristalsis with abnormally high amplitude). Besides, there are non-specific as yet unclassified contraction abnormalities. Since hypermotile contraction abnormalities can mimic chest pain of cardiac origin, differential diagnosis of anginal chest pain should include esophageal motility disorders. Contraction abnormalities of the esophagus may occur in diffuse scleroderma, after therapeutic radiation of the mediastinum, and possibly after sclerotherapy of esophageal varices.
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PMID:[Motility disorders of the esophagus]. 356 Nov 40

We report a case of oesophageal disease as the first manifestation in a patient with CREST syndrome. A 46-year-old man with achalasia-like syndrome developed CREST syndrome 4 years later. A pneumatic dilatation of the cardia was performed. After pneumatic dilatation the dysphagia and regurgitation disappeared but the patient developed reflux oesophagitis. Four years after diagnosis of oesophageal disease he presented with a clinical picture of CREST syndrome. An acute ileus and constipation developed later. After receiving medical therapy with omeprazole and cisapride the patient is free of oesophageal symptoms and bowel movements are normal. Oesophageal disease is common in patients with limited and diffuse scleroderma, but to our knowledge achalasia-like syndrome has not been previously described as the first manifestation of the systemic disease.
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PMID:Achalasia-like syndrome as the first manifestation in a patient with CREST syndrome. 872 33