Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29315993›Full record

ArticleNeurogastroenterology and motility2018

Evaluating the reliability and construct validity of the Eckardt symptom score as a measure of achalasia severity.

T H Taft, D A Carlson, J Triggs, J Craft, K Starkey, R Yadlapati, D Gregory, J E Pandolfino

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · greenAbstract readEvaluation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Neurogastroenterology and motility, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 63 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
63citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
7.6field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04798547 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

Outcomes of Short-length vs Standard-length Myotomy Using Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) for Achalasia: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorNorthwestern UniversityRan2020 to 2024Enrolled60ConditionsAchalasiaArmsShort Myotomy, Standard Length Myotomy
NCT06883175 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Evolution of the Chicago Classification: Bridging Physiology and Mechanics

TypeinterventionalSponsorNorthwestern UniversityRan2024 to 2029Enrolled575ConditionsDysphagia, Achalasia, Esophageal, Ineffective Esophageal MotilityArmsFLIP, HRM, Prucalopride
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

63 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 121 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. ACG Clinical Guidelines: Clinical Use of Esophageal Physiologic Testing.The American journal of gastroenterology · 2020
    Guideline
  3. ACG Clinical Guidelines: Diagnosis and Management of Achalasia.The American journal of gastroenterology · 2020
    Guideline
  4. Pseudoachalasia: a systematic review of the literature.Esophagus : official journal of the Japan Esophageal Society · 2020
    Pooled it
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Saudi Gastroenterology Association (SGA) clinical care pathway and standards of care for peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in achalasia.Saudi journal of gastroenterology : official journal of the Saudi Gastroenterology Association · 2026
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Observational
  20. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Benign Esophageal Disorders.The American journal of gastroenterology · 2025
    Review

3 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

T H TaftDivision of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4670-2441
D A CarlsonDivision of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1702-7758
J TriggsDivision of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
J CraftDivision of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
K StarkeyDivision of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
R YadlapatiUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
D GregoryDivision of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
J E PandolfinoDivision of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Northwestern University · USUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus · US

Funding

The mechanics of symptom generation in dysphagiaR01DK079902 · NIDDK · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT CHICAGO · PI PANDOLFINO, JOHN E · 2009 to 2017
$2.9M
Training Grant in Gastrointestinal Physiology and PsychologyT32DK101363 · NIDDK · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT CHICAGO · PI PANDOLFINO, JOHN E · 2014 to 2018
$1.2M
NIDDK NIH HHS R01 DK079902NIDDK NIH HHS T32 DK101363
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAchalasia is a disease of mechanical esophageal dysfunction characterized by dysphagia, chest pain, regurgitation, and malnutrition. The Eckardt symptom score (ESS) is the gold standard self-report assessment tool. Current guidelines outline a three-step approach to patient reported outcomes measure design. Developed prior to these policies, the ESS has not undergone rigorous testing of its reliability and validity.

methodsAdult achalasia patients retrospectively identified via a patient registry were grouped based on treatment history. Patients were grouped PREPOST (completed ESS, GERDQ, brief esophageal dysphagia questionnaire, NIH PROMIS Global Health, high resolution manometry, timed barium esophagram prior to treatment and after) and POST (completed measures only after treatment). Clinical characteristics, treatment type and date were obtained via medical record. Standardized psychometric analyses for reliability and construct validity were performed. KEY

results107 patients identified; 83 POST and 24 PREPOST. The ESS has fair internal consistency and split-half reliability with a single factor structure. Dysphagia accounts for half the variance in ESS, while chest pain and weight loss account for 10% each. Pre-post-surgical assessment demonstrates improvements in ESS, except for weight loss. Effect sizes range from 0.24 to 2.53, with greatest change in regurgitation. Validity of the ESS is supported by modest correlations with GERDQ, HRQOL, and physiological data. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: The ESS demonstrates fair reliability and validity, with a single factor structure mostly explained by dysphagia. Based on psychometric findings, weight loss and chest pain items may be decreasing ESS reliability and validity. Further assessment of the ESS under FDA guidelines is warranted.

Indexed as

Severity of Illness IndexAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesEsophageal AchalasiaFemaleHealth SurveysHumansMaleManometryMiddle AgedRegistriesReproducibility of ResultsRetrospective StudiesWeight LossachalasiaEckardt symptom scorepatient reported outcomes

Identifiers

PMID29315993
PMCPMC5992017
OpenAlexW2783345647

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.