Proximal and distal esophageal sensitivity is decreased in patients with Barrett’s esophagus

Figure 5 Response to mechanical and thermal stimulations at maximum pain in patients with Barrett’s esophagus and healthy volunteers. Patients were hyposensitive to mechanical and thermal stimuli 4 cm above the esophago-gastric junction (EGJ). Heat hyposensitivity were also found in the normal part of the esophagus 14 cm above the EGJ. Both patients and controls were less sensitive to mechanical stimulation 4 cm above the EGJ, whereas the sensitivity for heat was the same on the two levels. Numbers on the X-axis indicate the level of stimulations 4 and 14 cm above the EGJ. ^aP < 0.05.