DISCUSSION:
The major symptom associated with achalasia is slowly progressive
dysphagia for both solids and liquids and is seen in 79%-100% of
affected patients. Other common symptoms are regurgitation (63%),
heartburn (41%), non-cardiac chest pain (22%), epigastric pain (15%)
and odynophagia (<5%). In patients with achalasia,
respiratory symptoms are also common: cough (37%), aspiration (31%),
hoarseness (21%), wheezing (16%), sore throat (12%), dyspnea (10%)
and weight loss (10%) (Table I).13,14