Abstract

Background: Progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) is an inflammatory disease of connective tissue, with onset as edema that continues with fibrosis, induration, and skin atrophy. The gastrointestinal tract is affected in about 90% of those diagnosed with PSS, often with several organs in this system being affected simultaneously. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the gastrointestinal tract in patients diagnosed with PSS. Methods: In this prospective, descriptive and analytical study conducted at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, a total of 75 patients were included. Results: The mean age of the female participants was 55.6±8.7 years. Clinical findings in the patients were: dysphagia was the most prevalent symptom, affecting 24 individuals (32%), followed by nausea in 15 patients (20%), heartburn in 13 patients (17.3%) and vomiting in 11 patients (14.7%). In the lower gastrointestinal tract, the predominant symptom was constipation, reported by 38 patients, while anal pain was observed in 13 cases; rectal bleeding and diarrhea were observed less frequently. The primary endoscopic pathologies identified in the esophagus included gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatal hernia. In the stomach, the most prominent conditions were gastritis and gastric ulcers. In the colon, colitis and diverticular disease were identified. Conclusion: The investigation of clinical and endoscopic findings is of fundamental importance for pharmacological and sometimes surgical treatment, but also for the prognosis of life and its quality.

Key words: autoimmune disease, dysphagia, gastrointestinal tract, gastroesophageal reflux disease, endoscopic findings.