Prospective evaluation of gastrointestinal symptoms in systemic sclerosis (SSc)

Background: SSc is accompanied by gastrointestinal fibrosis and smooth muscle atrophy accompanied by autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The consequences are impaired contractile, secretory and absorptive functions of the gastrointestinal tract. There are diverse prevalences of symptoms representing gastrointestinal involvement of SSc mostly due to inappropriate evaluation methods. Aim: To assess the frequency the symptoms of gastrointestinal manifestations in SSc. Methods: 145 patients with established diagnosis of SSc were investigated. A questionnaire was designed to assess the frequency of different gastro…