A Practical Approach to the Evaluation and Management of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis

Overview

Journal Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Rheumatology

Date 2021 Mar 7

PMID 33676855

Citations 9

Authors

Timothy Kaniecki

Tsion Abdi

Zsuzsanna H McMahan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most commonly affected internal organ system in systemic sclerosis (SSc). SSc may lead to impaired function in any region of the GI tract, from the esophagus to the anorectum, which causes significant morbidity as well as mortality in patient subsets. Given the low prevalence of SSc in the community, many rheumatologists may not have a systematic framework for diagnosing or treating the GI complaints in this disease. These practice recommendations aim to summarize and consolidate the current guidelines from the fields of gastroenterology and rheumatology and establish a symptom-based framework for diagnosis and management based on available evidence in the literature. Subject areas that are in need of additional research are also identified.

Citing Articles

Abnormal Esophageal Scintigraphy Associates With a Distinct Clinical Phenotype in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis.

Salas A, Yanek L, Hummers L, Shah A, McMahan Z ACR Open Rheumatol. 2025; 7(1):e11796.

PMID: 39854163 PMC: 11760989. DOI: 10.1002/acr2.11796.

Evidence for targeting autonomic dysfunction in systemic sclerosis: A scoping review.

Cuevas S, Mayer E, Hughes M, Adler B, McMahan Z J Scleroderma Relat Disord. 2025; 23971983241308050.

PMID: 39790996 PMC: 11707778. DOI: 10.1177/23971983241308050.

Twists and turns: The whirl sign in a patient with systemic sclerosis.

Qiao L, Xu D Rheumatol Immunol Res. 2024; 5(3):179-181.

PMID: 39439974 PMC: 11492819. DOI: 10.2478/rir-2024-0025.

Managing gastrointestinal manifestations in systemic sclerosis, a mechanistic approach.

Kaniecki T, Hughes M, McMahan Z Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2024; 20(6):603-622.

PMID: 38406978 PMC: 11098704. DOI: 10.1080/1744666X.2024.2320205.

If Pills Don't Work, Try Staples: Surgery for Barrett's Esophagus Complicating Progressive Systemic Sclerosis.

Braghetto I, Triadafilopoulos G, de Paula G, Hevia M, Lanzarini E, Figueredo E Dig Dis Sci. 2023; 68(10):3879-3885.

PMID: 37634186 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-023-08064-3.

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