Nutritional Status and Dietary Challenges in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis: A Comprehensive Review

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Rheumatology

Background:

• Systemic sclerosis (SSc) commonly causes gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction due to fibrosis and inflammation.
• GI involvement in SSc leads to symptoms like dysphagia, reflux, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
• Poor nutritional status, including malnutrition, sarcopenia, and frailty, is prevalent in SSc patients and worsens outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review nutritional issues in SSc.
• To provide a guide for nutritional assessment in scleroderma patients.
• To highlight the need for systematic nutritional evaluations and tailored tools.

Main Methods:

• This is a review article.
• It synthesizes existing knowledge on GI involvement and nutritional status in SSc.
• It discusses common GI symptoms and their impact on nutrient intake.

Main Results:

• SSc patients experience diverse GI impairments affecting intake and nutrient absorption.
• Malnutrition, sarcopenia, frailty, and micronutrient deficiencies are common, correlating with disease severity and mortality.
• Routine nutritional assessments and specific guidelines are currently lacking in clinical practice.

Conclusions:

• GI involvement significantly impacts nutritional status in SSc patients.
• Systematic nutritional assessments are essential for this high-risk population.
• Development of novel, tailored assessment tools is needed for effective nutritional care in SSc.