Giuseppina Abignano1, Gianna Angela Mennillo2, Giovanni Lettieri3, Duygu Temiz Karadag4, Antonio Carriero2, Angela Anna Padula2, Francesco Del Galdo5, Dinesh Khanna6, Salvatore D'Angelo2. 1. G. Abignano, Clinical Researcher and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania (IReL) and Rheumatology Department of Lucania, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza, Italy, and Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, and NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK; g.abignano@hotmail.com. 2. G.A. Mennillo, Consultant Rheumatologist, MD, A. Carriero, PhD Fellow, MD, A.A. Padula, Consultant Rheumatologist, MD, S. D'Angelo, Consultant Rheumatologist, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania (IReL) and Rheumatology Department of Lucania, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza, Italy. 3. G. Lettieri, Consultant Radiologist, MD, Radiology Department, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza, Italy. 4. D. Temiz Karadag, Consultant Rheumatologist, MD, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania (IReL) and Rheumatology Department of Lucania, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza, Italy, and Department of Rheumatology, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey. 5. F. Del Galdo, Associate Professor, MD, PhD, Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, and NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK. 6. D. Khanna, Professor, MD, MS, University of Michigan Scleroderma Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The University of California Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract 2.0 (GIT 2.0) instrument is a self-report tool measuring gastrointestinal (GI) quality of life in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Scarce data are available on the correlation between patient-reported GI symptoms and motility dysfunction as assessed by esophageal transit scintigraphy (ETS). METHODS: We evaluated the GIT 2.0 reflux scale in patients with SSc admitted to our clinic and undergoing ETS, and correlated their findings. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients with SSc undergoing ETS were included. Twenty-seven were female, and 9 had diffuse cutaneous SSc. Twenty-six of 31 (84%) patients had a delayed transit and an abnormal esophageal emptying activity (EA); they also had a higher GIT 2.0 reflux score (P = 0.04). Mean EA percentage was higher in patients with none to mild GIT 2.0 reflux score (81.1 [SD 11.5]) than in those with moderate (55.7 [SD 17.8], P = 0.003) and severe to very severe scores (55.8 [SD 19.7], P = 0.002). The percentage of esophageal EA negatively correlated with the GIT 2.0 reflux score (r = -0.68, P < 0.0001), but it did not correlate with the other GIT 2.0 scales and the total GIT 2.0 score. CONCLUSION: SSc patients with impaired ETS findings have a higher GIT 2.0 reflux score. The GIT 2.0 is a complementary tool for objective measurement of esophageal involvement that can be easily administered in day-to-day clinical assessment.
OBJECTIVE: The University of California Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract 2.0 (GIT 2.0) instrument is a self-report tool measuring gastrointestinal (GI) quality of life in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Scarce data are available on the correlation between patient-reported GI symptoms and motility dysfunction as assessed by esophageal transit scintigraphy (ETS). METHODS: We evaluated the GIT 2.0 reflux scale in patients with SSc admitted to our clinic and undergoing ETS, and correlated their findings. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients with SSc undergoing ETS were included. Twenty-seven were female, and 9 had diffuse cutaneous SSc. Twenty-six of 31 (84%) patients had a delayed transit and an abnormal esophageal emptying activity (EA); they also had a higher GIT 2.0 reflux score (P = 0.04). Mean EA percentage was higher in patients with none to mild GIT 2.0 reflux score (81.1 [SD 11.5]) than in those with moderate (55.7 [SD 17.8], P = 0.003) and severe to very severe scores (55.8 [SD 19.7], P = 0.002). The percentage of esophageal EA negatively correlated with the GIT 2.0 reflux score (r = -0.68, P < 0.0001), but it did not correlate with the other GIT 2.0 scales and the total GIT 2.0 score. CONCLUSION: SSc patients with impaired ETS findings have a higher GIT 2.0 reflux score. The GIT 2.0 is a complementary tool for objective measurement of esophageal involvement that can be easily administered in day-to-day clinical assessment.
Authors: Norina Zampatti; Alexandru Garaiman; Suzana Jordan; Rucsandra Dobrota; Mike Oliver Becker; Britta Maurer; Oliver Distler; Carina Mihai Journal: Arthritis Res Ther Date: 2021-04-22 Impact factor: 5.156