Nutritional status and gastrointestinal symptoms in systemic sclerosis patients

Gastrointestinal manifestations in systemic sclerosis (SSc) can influence the nutritional status of patients. Our objective was to examine whether nutritional status was associated with symptoms captured by the University of California Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract Questionnaire (GIT 2.0).

A series of 24 University of Utah SSc Center patients were assessed using the MUST, SGA, and GIT 2.0. A single evaluator administered the nutrition assessment and gastrointestinal symptom questionnaire.

Nine patients were assessed at moderate to high risk of malnutrition using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) and 12 patients with moderate to severe malnutrition using Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). Neither MUST nor SGA status was associated with duration of disease. Soilage, social function and emotional subscores were associated with SGA nutritional status. Clinically significant differences in Total GIT 2.0 score, reflux, distention/bloating, soilage, diarrhea, social function and emotional well-being were observed across levels of nutritional status.

Clinically significant differences in gastrointestinal tract symptoms were observed across levels of nutritional status in patients with varying severity of SSc. These two clinically utilized tools, the SGA and the GIT 2.0, appear to be complementary in the evaluation of SSc patients.