TY - JOUR AB - 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. AD - Rheumatology Department, ‘Iuliu Haţieganu’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj‑Napoca, Romania 2nd Medical Clinic, ‘Iuliu Haţieganu’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj‑Napoca, Romania 1st Medical Clinic, Gastroenterology Department, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, 400006 Cluj‑Napoca, Romania Department of Pathology, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, 400006 Cluj‑Napoca, Romania 3rd Medical Clinic, Gastroenterology Department, ‘Iuliu Haţieganu’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400162 Cluj‑Napoca, Romania AU - Petcu,Ana AU - Ghib,Linda ,Jessica AU - Grad,Simona ,Mihaela AU - Popovici,Cornelia AU - Rogojan,Liliana AU - Rednic,Nicolae ,Voicu AU - Rednic,Simona DA - 2019/12/01 DO - 10.3892/etm.2019.8125 EP - 5100 IS - 6 JO - Exp Ther Med KW - systemic sclerosis gastroesophageal manifestations upper gastrointestinal endoscopy histopathological findings gastritis PY - 2019 SN - 1792-0981 1792-1015 SP - 5095 ST - Upper gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis: Findings in a real‑life setting T2 - Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine TI - Upper gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis: Findings in a real‑life setting UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.8125 VL - 18 ER -