Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Weerakkody Y, Yap J, Fahrenhorst-Jones T, Eckhardt score. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Feb 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-162856
The Eckhardt score is a clinical scoring system commonly used to characterize the severity of achalasia.
It is a 12-point score which is as follows:
-
recent weight loss (kg)
none = 0
<5 kg = 1
5-10 kg = 2
>10 kg = 3
-
dysphagia
none = 0
occasional = 1
daily = 2
each meal = 3
-
retrosternal chest pain
none = 0
occasional = 1
daily = 2
each meal = 3
-
regurgitation
none = 0
occasional = 1
daily = 2
each meal = 3
A score of ≥3 is suggestive of active achalasia.
History and etymology
It was first described in 1992 by Volker F Eckhardt, a German physician 2.
-
1. Cisternas D, Taft T, Carlson D et al. The Brief Esophageal Dysphagia Questionnaire Shows Better Discriminative Capacity for Clinical and Manometric Findings Than the Eckardt Score: Results from a Multicenter Study. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2022;34(4):e14228. doi:10.1111/nmo.14228 - Pubmed
-
2. Eckardt V, Aignherr C, Bernhard G. Predictors of Outcome in Patients with Achalasia Treated by Pneumatic Dilation. Gastroenterology. 1992;103(6):1732-8. doi:10.1016/0016-5085(92)91428-7 - Pubmed
-
3. Shemmeri E, Aye R, Farivar A, Bograd A, Louie B. Use of a Report Card to Evaluate Outcomes of Achalasia Surgery: Beyond the Eckardt Score. Surg Endosc. 2020;34(4):1856-62. doi:10.1007/s00464-019-06952-2 - Pubmed
Promoted articles (advertising)