Publications by authors named "Kristle L Lynch"

Background: Question prompt lists (QPLs) are structured sets of disease-specific questions intended to encourage question-asking by patients and enhance patient-physician communication. To date, an EoE-specific QPL has not been developed for EoE patients.

Aim: To develop a preliminary QPL specific to adults with EoE by incorporating input from international esophageal experts.

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Patients with chronic diseases have increasingly turned to social media to discuss symptoms and share the challenges they face with disease management. The primary aim of this study is to use naturally occurring data from X (formerly known as Twitter) to identify barriers to care faced by individuals affected by eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). For this qualitative study, the X application programming interface with academic research access was used to search for posts that referenced EoE between 1 January 2019 and 10 August 2022.

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Introduction: There are limited longitudinal data on the impact of chronic therapy on the natural history of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a chronic allergic disease of the esophagus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if patients with well-controlled EoE were less likely to develop fibrostenotic complications.

Methods: Subjects were identified from a database of pediatric patients with EoE at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia started in 2000.

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Article Synopsis
  • Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO) is a diagnosis linked to conditions like achalasia, with updated criteria making diagnosis more precise since the Chicago Classification version 4.0.
  • Key diagnostic criteria include high integrated relaxation pressure (IRP), elevated intrabolus pressure during swallowing, symptoms like dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), and results from specific tests like barium esophagram and impedance planimetry.
  • Treatment options range from simple monitoring to invasive procedures, focusing on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), with careful consideration needed for the appropriateness of interventions.
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Introduction: High-resolution manometry (HRM) and functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) are primary and/or complementary diagnostic tools for the evaluation of esophageal motility. We aimed to assess the interrater agreement and accuracy of HRM and FLIP interpretations.

Methods: Esophageal motility specialists from multiple institutions completed the interpretation of 40 consecutive HRM and 40 FLIP studies.

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Introduction: Inflammation in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) often leads to esophageal strictures. Evaluating esophageal narrowing is clinically challenging. We evaluated esophageal distensibility as related to disease activity, fibrosis, and dysphagia.

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Background: Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO) has a variable disease course. Currently, barium swallow (BaS) and manometric parameters are used to characterize clinically significant EGJOO. The esophagogastric junction distensibility index (EGJ-DI) measured via functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) can provide complementary information.

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Background: Patients affected by chronic illnesses have increasingly turned to social media to gather disease-related information and connect with other patients. Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic disease with rapidly evolving management options. The aims of this study are to describe the current use of social media in EoE patients and caregivers, evaluate whether use of social media to learn about EoE is associated with higher medical knowledge of this disease, and evaluate social media factors that could result in improved patient and caregiver disease understanding.

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Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a clinicopathologic disease characterized by symptoms of esophageal dysfunction and esophageal eosinophilia. In the last decade, there has been a dramatic increase in its prevalence for reasons that are not completely understood. The underlying pathophysiology involves an antigen-mediated T 2 immune response that draws eosinophils to the esophagus, causing mucosal inflammation, esophageal remodeling, and fibrosis.

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Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO) is an abnormal finding on high-resolution manometry (HRM) characterized by an elevated median integrated relaxation pressure with some intact peristalsis. EGJOO is associated with heterogeneous symptoms, disease course, and response to treatment. It can be idiopathic or secondary with causes including malignancy, infiltrative disease, or structural etiology.

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Background: Achalasia is an esophageal motor disorder that leads to swallowing dysfunction and weight loss. Nutritional risk in achalasia patients is not well defined.

Aims: The aims of this study were to define baseline body mass index (BMI), changes in weight, and nutritional risk over time in a large cohort of achalasia patients.

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Background: Constipation and fecal incontinence (FI) are common and are often evaluated with anorectal manometry. Three-dimensional high-resolution anorectal manometry (HRAM) is a promising technology; however, implementation has been limited by lack of metrics and unclear clinical utility.

Aim: To investigate the diagnostic utility of 3D HRAM compared to 2D HRAM.

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Barrett's esophagus is a premalignant condition portending increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Given the significant morbidity and mortality of esophageal adenocarcinoma, identification of risk factors for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma is crucial. There are a plethora of studies investigating the relationship of obesity with these pathologies.

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Objectives: Pneumatic dilation (PD) and laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) can be definitive therapies for achalasia; recent data suggest comparable efficacy. However, risk must also be considered. We reviewed the major complication rate of PD and LHM in a high-volume center and reviewed the corresponding literature.

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