title: Gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis.
abstract: Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune chronic disease characterised by microvascular, muscular and immunologic abnormalities that lead to progressive and systemic deposition of connective tissue in the skin and internal organs. The gastrointestinal tract is often overlooked by physicians but it is the most affected organ after the skin, from the mouth to the anus. Indeed, 80% of SSc patients may present with gastrointestinal involvement. Gastrointestinal manifestations range from bloating and heartburn to dysphagia and anorectal dysfunction to severe weight loss and malabsorption. However, the gastrointestinal involvement is rarely the direct cause of death, but has great impact on quality of life and leads to several comorbidities that subsequently affect patients' survival. Treatments, including nutritional support and prokinetics provide limited benefits and do not arrest the progressive course of the disease, but earlier detection of gastrointestinal involvement may reduce the risk of complications such as malnutrition.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy. Electronic address: edoardo.savarino@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Savarino
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furnari
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Bortoli
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Martinucci
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bodini
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghio
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Savarino
mesh_terms: D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000209:etiology