title: Associations between a scleroderma-specific gastrointestinal instrument and objective tests of upper gastrointestinal involvements in systemic sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  UCLA-SCTC-GIT 2.0 is an instrument designed to evaluate gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The objective of our study was to assess the associations between the upper GI (UGI) symptom scales (reflux and distention/bloating [D/B] scales) versus objective/laboratory studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five patients with SSc were enrolled at 2 centres. Each patient completed the GIT 2.0 and had objective and laboratory tests. Correlations were assessed using the Spearman's test. We also assessed the average scores in patients with positive vs. negative tests and compared them using the t-test and Wilcoxon test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (SD) age was 53.6 (11.8), 90% were women and 49% had limited SSc. The mean reflux and D/B scores were 0.82 and 1.25, respectively (moderate severity). The reflux scale had moderate correlations with upper GI objective evaluations (correlation coefficient ≥0.40) and was able to differentiate between patients with endoscopy proven esophagitis and manometric abnormalities (p=0.01 for both). D/B scores were numerically higher in patients with abnormal objective tests. The GIT 2.0 reflux and D/B scales had a high sensitivity ranging from 80% to 94% but very low specificity (range; 0-20%) based on objective gold standard GI measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The GIT 2.0 reflux and D/B scales have a high sensitivity (range 80-94%) for UGI involvement. The GIT 2.0 instrument complements the objective tests for assessment of the UGI.
authors.affiliation: University of California Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA. sbae04@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sangmee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Allanore
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Furst
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bodukam
authors.forename: Baptiste
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coustet
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Morgaceva
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maranian
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khanna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D001944:Breath Tests; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D045743:Scleroderma, Diffuse / Q000150:complications*; D045745:Scleroderma, Limited / Q000150:complications*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology