Knowledge and perceptions of medical practitioners on the role of nutrition in systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) presents complex manifestations that impact disease progression and quality of life. Despite the burden of gastrointestinal (GI) and nutrition-related symptoms, a lack of consensus is apparent regarding the appropriate dietary strategies to support SSc management. The present study aimed to explore the perspectives of rheumatologists regarding the importance of nutrition counselling and nutrition-related patients' needs.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a sample of 74 rheumatologists in Greece. The Views on Education and Nutrition in Scleroderma (VENUS) questionnaire was employed. The tool assesses three domains: demographics, scleroderma management and nutrition education approaches. Descriptive statistics summarised the findings, while comparisons and correlations were performed, where appropriate.

Physicians noted that patients with SSc requested dietary advice for symptom control (58.1%), improving general nutrition knowledge (32.4%) and adhering to specialised diets (29.7%). While practitioners recognised the importance of nutrition in SSc care, they emphasised the value of structured support, including face-to-face consultations (51.4%) and the integration of dietitians into multidisciplinary care teams (40.5%). Patients frequently sought nutritional advice, especially regarding reflux management (74.3%), soft-food diet (47.0%) and less commonly other dietary regimens. Regarding symptomatology, most rheumatologists reported pain, digital ulcers and GI discomfort in over half of their patients. Most commonly reported GI symptoms included reflux (89.2%), bloating (55.4%), heartburn (54.1%) and dysphagia (52.7%).

Patients with SSc experience significant pain and GI disturbances and actively seek dietary guidance. Rheumatologists acknowledge the importance of nutrition in disease management and highlight the need for comprehensive multidisciplinary care models involving dietitians, aiming to improve patient outcomes.