Open Access

Upper gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis: Findings in a real‑life setting

  • Authors:
    • Ana Petcu
    • Linda Jessica Ghib
    • Simona Mihaela Grad
    • Cornelia Popovici
    • Liliana Rogojan
    • Nicolae Voicu Rednic
    • Simona Rednic
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: October 24, 2019     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.8125
  • Pages: 5095-5100
  • Copyright: © Petcu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Gastrointestinal tract involvement is the most common visceral affectation in systemic sclerosis (SSc), but the manifestations may vary in extension and severity. Endoscopic and histopathological gastroesophageal findings were investigated in patients with SSc. A total of 79 consecutive patients with definite SSc were enrolled in a cross sectional study. Clinical data were collected, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and biopsies from gastric mucosa were performed in all cases. Fifty‑seven (72.1%) out of 79 SSc patients had gastroesophageal symptoms. The most frequent were dysphagia, present in 33 (41.7%) and gastroesophageal reflux symptoms in 23 (29.1%) patients. Out of the 79 patients, 22 were asymptomatic, but in 16 esophageal and gastric mucosa changes were endoscopically detected. Reflux esophagitis was found in 39 (49.3%) patients. The presence of esophageal manifestations was not related to the disease duration or with its other variables. Signs of gastritis were endoscopically described in 47 (59.4%) and confirmed on histopathologic examinations in 45 patients. In 31 patients without any endoscopic changes, 18 (22.7%) showed signs of gastritis on histopathologic examination. No significant statistical differences were found between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients or between those with limited cutaneous SSc and those with diffuse cutaneous SSc in terms of clinical, endoscopic or histopathological findings, except the higher proportion of hiatal hernia in symptomatic patients. The results of this study might suggest that upper gastrointestinal endoscopy should be performed during the early stage of the disease and then periodically in patients diagnosed with SSc, even in the absence of typical symptoms.
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

December-2019
Volume 18 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Petcu A, Ghib LJ, Grad SM, Popovici C, Rogojan L, Rednic NV and Rednic S: Upper gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis: Findings in a real‑life setting. Exp Ther Med 18: 5095-5100, 2019
APA
Petcu, A., Ghib, L.J., Grad, S.M., Popovici, C., Rogojan, L., Rednic, N.V., & Rednic, S. (2019). Upper gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis: Findings in a real‑life setting. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 18, 5095-5100. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.8125
MLA
Petcu, A., Ghib, L. J., Grad, S. M., Popovici, C., Rogojan, L., Rednic, N. V., Rednic, S."Upper gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis: Findings in a real‑life setting". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 18.6 (2019): 5095-5100.
Chicago
Petcu, A., Ghib, L. J., Grad, S. M., Popovici, C., Rogojan, L., Rednic, N. V., Rednic, S."Upper gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis: Findings in a real‑life setting". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 18, no. 6 (2019): 5095-5100. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.8125