title: [Achalasia and Guillain-Barré syndrome].
abstract: A 47-year-old patient with a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome three years prior to evaluation and a severe persisting sensory neuronopathy, complained of dysphagia especially for solid food. He also had severe, intermittent retrosternal pain. Radiological and manometric studies showed the typical features of achalasia. Treatment with botulinum toxin injection improved the dysphagia but not the retrosternal pain. An autoimmune response triggered by an infection is discussed as one possible cause of ganglion cell degeneration within the myenteric plexus in patients with achalasia. Such a hypothesis is supported by our observation showing the simultaneous occurrence of achalasia, sensory neuronopathy, and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Gastroenterologie, Deutsche Klinik für Diagnostik Wiesbaden. mueller.gastro@dkdwiesbaden.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eckardt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schrank
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Graap
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000276:immunology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D009460:Neurologic Examination
chemical_list: D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A