Ha Eun Jo1, Ji Eun Lee2, Shin Hee Kim3, Su Jin Hong3, Seo-Youn Choi1, Min Hee Lee1, Sanghyeok Lim1, Sunyoung Lee4, Jeong Ah Hwang5, Ji Eun Moon6. 1. Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Bucheon-Si, Gyeonggi-do, 14584, Republic of Korea. 2. Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Bucheon-Si, Gyeonggi-do, 14584, Republic of Korea. leeje1211@gmail.com. 3. Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Bucheon-Si, Gyeonggi-do, 14584, Republic of Korea. 4. Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea. 5. Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Ilwon-Ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 06351, Korea. 6. Department of Biostatistics, Clinical Trial Center, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Bucheon-Si, Gyeonggi-do, 14584, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the role of timed barium esophagogram (TBE) in quantitative measurement of improved esophageal emptying in primary achalasia patients treated with POEM. Also, we investigated the correlation of TBE with improvement of clinical symptoms as measured by Eckardt score. METHODS: This retrospective study included 30 patients who underwent POEM due to primary achalasia. As a baseline study, all patients underwent TBE and were evaluated for clinical status by Eckardt score based on presence and frequency of dysphagia, regurgitation, substernal pain, and weight loss. Follow-up evaluation was performed within 3 months after POEM. Pre- and post-POEM TBE results were compared using a calculated value based on summation of height of the barium columns on 1-, 2- and 5-min delayed images. Also, the correlation of TBE with improvement of Eckardt score was evaluated using Pearson's correlation test. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in the calculated value of height between pre- and post-POEM TBE studies (40.5 ± 15.8-17.0 ± 11.6, p < 0.01). Also, the Eckardt score decreased significantly after POEM (6.7 ± 2.0-0.8 ± 1.0, p < 0.01). Pearson's correlation test revealed a positive correlation between improvement of TBE results and Eckardt score (correlation coefficient = 0.56, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: TBE is an objective method for quantitative measurement of improved esophageal emptying in primary achalasia patients treated with POEM and shows positive correlation with clinical symptoms evaluated by Eckardt score.
PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the role of timed barium esophagogram (TBE) in quantitative measurement of improved esophageal emptying in primary achalasia patients treated with POEM. Also, we investigated the correlation of TBE with improvement of clinical symptoms as measured by Eckardt score. METHODS: This retrospective study included 30 patients who underwent POEM due to primary achalasia. As a baseline study, all patients underwent TBE and were evaluated for clinical status by Eckardt score based on presence and frequency of dysphagia, regurgitation, substernal pain, and weight loss. Follow-up evaluation was performed within 3 months after POEM. Pre- and post-POEM TBE results were compared using a calculated value based on summation of height of the barium columns on 1-, 2- and 5-min delayed images. Also, the correlation of TBE with improvement of Eckardt score was evaluated using Pearson's correlation test. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in the calculated value of height between pre- and post-POEM TBE studies (40.5 ± 15.8-17.0 ± 11.6, p < 0.01). Also, the Eckardt score decreased significantly after POEM (6.7 ± 2.0-0.8 ± 1.0, p < 0.01). Pearson's correlation test revealed a positive correlation between improvement of TBE results and Eckardt score (correlation coefficient = 0.56, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: TBE is an objective method for quantitative measurement of improved esophageal emptying in primary achalasia patients treated with POEM and shows positive correlation with clinical symptoms evaluated by Eckardt score.