Achalasia Treatment, Outcomes, Utilization, and Costs: A Population-Based Study from the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Randomized trials show that pneumatic dilation (PD) ≥30 mm and laparoscopic myotomy (LM) provide equivalent symptom relief and disease-related quality of life for patients with achalasia. However, questions remain about the safety, burden, and costs of treatment options.

Study design

We performed a retrospective cohort study of achalasia patients initially treated with PD or LM (2009 to 2014) using the Truven Health MarketScan Research Databases. All patients had 1 year of follow-up after initial treatment. We compared safety, health care use, and total and out-of-pocket costs using generalized linear models.

Results

Among 1,061 patients, 82% were treated with LM. The LM patients were younger (median age 49 vs 52 years; p < 0.01), but were similar in terms

SUBMITTER: Ehlers AP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5599146 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature