Extraesophageal symptoms are common in patients with Achalasia

Unexplained respiratory symptoms are most commonly explained by extra-esophageal manifestations of gastro-esophageal reflux disease and such patients are often submitted to prolonged proton pump inhibitor therapy. It is less well known, that similar symptoms may occur in patients with achalasia secondary to food retention in the dilated esophagus and subsequent micro-aspiration, or to the compression of the airways by the food filled dilated esophagus. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in our patients with achalasia. Methods: Two hundred and three (M/F: 94/113, mean age…