Patients with Barrett's esophagus are hypersensitive to acid but hyposensitive to other stimuli compared with healthy controls

Background Esophageal hyposensitivity has been observed in Barrett's esophagus and may contribute to its pathophysiology. However, studies are few, in particular those assessing different sensory modalities. We aimed to compare esophageal sensitivity to multimodal stimulation in patients with Barrett's esophagus and in healthy controls. Methods Twenty‐three patients with Barrett's esophagus and 12 healthy controls were examined. A multimodal probe was placed in the lower esophagus. Mechanical, thermal, and electrical stimulation was applied followed by an acid perfusion test with 0.1 N hydrochloric acid. Key Results Compared with controls, patients were hyposensitive to mechanical distension, heat, and electrical stimulation (all P