Per-oral endoscopic myotomy is safe and effective for pediatric patients with achalasia: A long-term follow-up study

Table 4 The long-term outcomes of per-oral endoscopic myotomy in pediatric group and matched control group

		Pediatric group (n = 34)	Matched control group (n = 34)	P value
Follow-up time, median (range), years		5.7 (2.6-10.6)	6.0 (2.7-10.7)	0.954
Pre-POEM, Eckardt score, mean (range)		8.0 (4-11)	7.9 (4-12)	0.975
Post-POEM (3 mo), Eckardt score, mean (range)		0.3 (0-3)	0.3 (0-2)	0.978
Post-POEM, Eckardt score, mean (range)		1.1 (0-4)	1.4 (0-3)	0.088
Eckardt score1 (pre-post), mean (range)		6.9 (2-10)	6.4 (0-12)	0.578
Pre-POEM BMI, median (range), kg/m2		17.7 (11.2-26.8)	20.0 (16.4-28.7)	< 0.001
Post-POEM BMI, median (range), kg/m2		20.8 (15.8-29.5)	24.0 (19.5-29.4)	< 0.001
BMI (Post-pre)2, median (range), kg/m2		3.7 (-1.7-13)	3.5 (0.7-12.9)	0.502
Pre-POEM, Urbach score, mean (range)		12.8 (10-20)	12.7 (10-20)	0.842
Post-POEM, Urbach score, mean (range)		24.7 (18-30)	25.7 (17-33)	0.221
Urbach score3 (pre-post), mean (range)		11.9 (1-18)	13.0 (4-23)	0.254
Clinical success, n (%)		33 (97.1)	34 (100.0)	> 0.999
Clinical reflux evaluation		6 (17.6)	12 (35.3)	0.099
	Reflux esophagitis by gastroscopy	2 (5.9)	2 (5.9)
	Symptomatic reflux	4 (11.8)	10 (29.4)

¹Eckardt score: The Eckardt score before per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) minus the Eckardt score at last follow-up.

²Body mass index (BMI): The BMI value at the last follow-up minus the BMI value before POEM.

³Urbach score: The Urbach score before POEM minus the Urbach score at last follow-up.

POEM: Per-oral endoscopic myotomy; BMI: Body mass index.