title: The Outcomes and Quality of Life of Patients with Achalasia after Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy in the Short-Term.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the short-term efficacy and quality of life (QOL) of patients with achalasia after peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five achalasia patients underwent POEM from May 2013 to December 2013. The data on clinical evaluation and QOL before therapy, at 1 month and 6 months postoperation were collected and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the thirty-five patients underwent POEM successfully. By comparing the data of the preoperative with that of 1 month and 6 months after POEM respectively, we found that: mean Eckardt score decreased (6.83 vs 0.51, 6.83 vs 0.46, all P <0.05), esophagus diameter reduced (47.97 mm vs 32.00 mm, 47.97 mm vs 28.50 mm, all P <0.05), and esophageal manometry declined (29.5 mmHg vs 11.5 mmHg, 29.5 mmHg vs 10.3 mmHg, all P <0.05). Complications occurred in 14.3% (5/35) of the cases, and no recurrence was observed. At each time point, postoperative QOL scores were higher than those of preoperative (P <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  POEM is safe and effective for treating achalasia in the short-term, it can relieve clinic symptoms as well as improve patients' QOL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Liuzhou Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, LiuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yu-Yong
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Ren-Qi
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tian-Ying
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Jun-Feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiao-Ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: De-Liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000379:methods*; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000601:surgery*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult