Objective We aimed to evaluate the value of novel high-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) metrics, bolus flow time (BFT) and esophagogastric junction (EGJ) contractile integral (CI), as well as EGJ pressure (EGJP) and the integrated relaxation pressure (IRP), as indicators of treatment response in achalasia. Design We prospectively evaluated 75 patients (ages 19–81, 32 female) with achalasia during follow-up after pneumatic dilation or myotomy with Eckardt score (ES), timed-barium esophagram (TBE), and HRIM. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves for good symptomatic outcome (ES ≤ 3) and good radiographic outcome (TBE column height at 5 minutes < 5 cm) were generated for each potential predictor of treatment response (EGJP, IRP, BFT, and EGJ-CI). Results Follow-up occurred at a median (range) 12 (3 – 291) months following treatment. 49 patients had good symptomatic outcome and 46 had good radiographic outcome. The area-under-the-curves (AUCs) on the ROC curve for symptomatic outcome were 0.55 (EGJP), 0.62 (IRP), 0.77 (BFT) and 0.56 (EGJ-CI). The AUCs for radiographic outcome were 0.64 (EGJP), 0.48 (IRP), 0.73 (BFT), and 0.65 (EGJ-CI). Optimal cut-points were determined as 11 mmHg (EGJP) 12 mmHg (IRP), zero seconds (BFT), and 30 mmHg•cm (EGJ-CI) that provided sensitivities/specificities of 57%/46% (EGJP), 65%/58% (IRP), 78%/77% (BFT), and 53%/62% (EGJ-CI) to predict symptomatic outcome and 57%/66% (EGJP), 57%/41% (IRP), 76%/69% (BFT), and 57%/66% (EGJ-CI) to predict radiographic outcome. Conclusions BFT, a novel HRIM metric, provided an improved functional assessment over manometric measures of EGJP, IRP, and EGJ-CI at follow-up after achalasia treatment and may help direct clinical management.

In a prospective study of 70 patients with achalasia, we found EII ratio identified patients with good PROs with higher levels of sensitivity (same specificity) than timed-barium esophagram or impedance-manometry bolus transit assessments. The EII ratio should be added to achalasia outcome evaluations that involve high-resolution impedance manometry as an independent measure and to complement timed-barium esophagram.

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Purpose Lower-grade gliomas (LGG) are mostly diagnosed in working-aged adults and rarely cured. LGG patients may face chronic impairments (e.g. fatigue, cognitive deficits). Self-management can improve clinical and psychosocial outcomes, yet how LGG patients self-manage the consequences of their tumour and its treatment is not fully understood. This study, therefore, aimed to identify and understand how LGG patients engage in the self-management of their condition. Methods A diverse group of 28 LGG patients (age range 22–69 years; male n = 16, female n = 12; mean time since diagnosis = 8.7 years) who had completed primary treatment, were recruited from across the United Kingdom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Informed by a self-management strategy framework developed in cancer, directed content analysis identified and categorised self-management types and strategies used by patients. Results Overall, 20 self-management strategy types, comprising 123 self-management strategies were reported; each participant detailed extensive engagement in self-management. The most used strategy types were ‘using support’ (n = 28), ‘creating a healthy environment’ (n = 28), ‘meaning making’ (n = 27), and ‘self-monitoring’ (n = 27). The most used strategies were ‘accepting the tumour and its consequences’ (n = 26), ‘receiving support from friends (n = 24) and family’ (n = 24), and ‘reinterpreting negative consequences’ (n = 24). Conclusions This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the strategies used by LGG patients to self-manage their health and wellbeing, with a diverse, and substantial number of self-management strategies reported. Implications for Cancer Survivors The findings will inform the development of a supported self-management intervention for LGG patients, which will be novel for this patient group.

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