1.   We have shown that the abnormalities of oesophageal motor function in patients with reflux oesophagitis do not improve after complete healing of oesophagitis.

2.   We conclude that autonomic neuropathy can affect motor functions throughout the gastrointestinal tract.

3.   Any disturbed motor function in the gut could therefore be one of the numerous expressions of diabetic neuropathy affecting the cardiovascular, the endoctine or the gastrointestinal system.

4.   Despite these many reports, a comprehensive evaluation of the motor function at different levels of the gastrointestinal tract in diabetic patients has never been carried out.

5.   We have calculated potential correlations between any disturbed motor function and the presence or absence of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy.

6.   Furthermore, we have analysed potential correlations between individual motor function disturbances and age or duration of diabetes using univariate histograms and bivariate scatter plots.