Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Aktuelle Rheumatologie, cilt.50, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Objectives The gastrointestinal system is the second most frequently affected organ system in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Patients with SSc experience gastrointestinal dysmotility due to pathophysiological changes, including alterations in intestinal microbiota, inflammation, fibrosis, vascular ischaemia, and muscle atrophy. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders in patients with SSc. Material and Methods This study included 66 patients with SSc. Demographic data, including age, gender, and clinical findings, were recorded. The Rome IV criteria were used to assess gastrointestinal complaints. Results A total of 66 (F = 61, M = 5) patients (limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc = 31), diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc = 35)) were included in this study. In lcSSs patients, the prevalence of functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, and diarrhoea was 29.0 %, 12.9 %, 6.5 % and 3.2 %, respectively, whereas in dcSSc, the prevalence of these disorders was 37.1 %, 8.6 %, 8.6 %, and 0.0 %, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference regarding the presence of functional gastrointestinal disorders between lcSSc and dcSSc patients. When patients with SSc were compared based on functional gastrointestinal disorders, no significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of mean age, disease duration, smoking, lung involvement, and presence of body mass index ≥ 25. Conclusion Alterations in gut microbiota and inflammatory changes have been proposed as contributing factors in IBS. Chronic inflammatory diseases, such as SSc, may therefore predispose individuals to its development. In our study, IBS was found in 10.7 % of the SSc patients. To identify patients at high risk of IBS, further studies are required.