Retrospective Cohort Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 14, 2023; 29(22): 3497-3507
Published online Jun 14, 2023. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i22.3497
Table 1 General characteristics of the pediatric group and the control group

Pediatric group (n = 48)
Control group (n = 1025)
P value
Sex, n (%)
Male26 (54.2)469 (45.8)0.253
Female22 (45.8)556 (54.2)
Age, median (range), years16 (7-18)43 (19-65)< 0.001
BMI, median (range), kg/m217.7 (11.2-26.8)20.9 (12.9-40.4)< 0.001
Chicago classification, n (%)n = 42, 87.5n = 1003, 97.80.928
Type I7 (16.7)156 (15.5)
Type II32 (76.2)787 (78.5)
Type III3 (7.1)60 (6.0)
Ling classification, n (%)0.076
Ling I9 (18.8)189 (17.0)
Ling IIa17 (35.4)340 (30.6)
Ling IIb18 (37.5)249 (22.4)
Ling IIc4 (8.3)206 (18.5)
Ling III0 (0.0)41 (1.35)
Disease course, median (range), month17.5 (2-120)48 (1-540)< 0.001
LES pressure, median (range), mmHgn = 42, 87.5n = 1003, 97.80.214
25.8 (8.4-65.9)24.5 (1-83.2)
Prior treatment0.210
Patients without prior treatment, n (%)36 (75.0)842 (82.1)
Patients with prior treatment, n (%)12 (25.0)183 (17.9)
BTI4 (8.3)46 (4.5)
PBD5 (10.4)92 (9.0)
POEM1 (2.1)9 (0.9)
LHM0 (0.0)10 (1.0)
ESP0 (0.0)14 (1.4)
PBD + BTI1 (2.1)3 (0.3)
ESP + BTI1 (2.1)1 (0.1)
POEM + PBD0 (0.0)2 (0.2)
PBD + ESP0 (0.0)3 (0.3)
PBD + LHM0 (0.0)1 (0.1)
BTI + LHM0 (0.0)1 (0.1)
ESP + LHM0 (0.0)1 (0.1)
Table 2 Procedure‑related characteristics and complications of pediatric group and control group, n (%)

Pediatric group
Control group
P value
Technique success48 (100.0)1016 (99.1)> 0.999
Length of tunnel, mean (range), cm10.8 (7-14)11.2 (5-20)0.206
Length of esophageal myotomy, mean (range), cm5.3 (1-9)5.2 (3-15)0.529
Length of gastric myotomy, mean (range), cm1.9 (0-4)1.9 (0-4)0.648
Types of myotomy0.458
Progressive full-thickness myotomy42 (87.5)792 (78.0)
Full-thickness muscle myotomy3 (6.3)98 (9.6)
Circular muscle myotomy1 (2.1)56 (5.5)
Others12 (4.2)70 (6.9)
Procedure time, mean (range), min43.9 (24-116)47.1 (14-160)0.394
Complications7 (14.6)148 (14.6)0.997
Mucosa injury3 (6.2)84 (8.3)
Gas-related adverse event
Pneumothorax0 (0.0)3 (0.3)
Pneumoperitoneum2 (4.2)27 (2.7)
Subcutaneous emphysema2 (4.2)32 (3.2)
Pleural effusion0 (0.0)1 (0.1)
Bleeding0 (0.0)1 (0.1)
Table 3 The long-term outcomes of per-oral endoscopic myotomy in pediatric patients

Pre-POEM
Post-POEM
P value
Eckardt score, mean (range)8.0 (4-11)1.1 (0-4)< 0.001
Dysphagia, mean ± SD2.8 ± 0.70.6 ± 0.7< 0.001
Regurgitation, mean ± SD1.7 ± 0.80.1 ± 0.2< 0.001
Chest pain, mean ± SD1.0 ± 0.90.4 ± 0.6< 0.001
Weight loss, mean ± SD1.5 ± 1.20.0 ± 0.0< 0.001
Urbach score, mean (range)12.8 (10-20)24.7 (18-30)< 0.001
Height, mean (range), cm163.7 (120-184)170.5 (159-185)< 0.001
Weight, mean (range), kg49.9 (22.2-82)64.3 (47-100)< 0.001
Number of months absent from school, mean (range), months3.3 (0.5-24)0.1 (0-1)< 0.001
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), years5.7 (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/m217.7 (11.2-26.8)20.0 (16.4-28.7)< 0.001
Post-POEM BMI, median (range), kg/m220.8 (15.8-29.5)24.0 (19.5-29.4)< 0.001
BMI (Post-pre)2, median (range), kg/m23.7 (-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 evaluation6 (17.6)12 (35.3)0.099
Reflux esophagitis by gastroscopy2 (5.9)2 (5.9)
Symptomatic reflux4 (11.8)10 (29.4)