Aim: to assess the prevalence of esophageal damages and the associations with skin and immunological alterations in patients with scleroderma.
Methods: a case-series study including 74 patients with scleroderma was carried out in 2003-2006. Patients were recruited at the Rheumatology Unit of the University Hospital Center in Tirana, the Albanian capital city. For all patients, data collection consisted of clinical information, laboratory analyses, as well as a radioscopy of esophagus.
Results: about 97% of patients included in our study had esophageal damages. The prevalence of esophageal damages was similar in men and women (80% and 72%, respectively). It was higher among 36-50 year olds as compared with other age-groups. About 74% of esophageal damages were located in its lower part. The prevalence of esophageal damages was about 77% in patients with skin alterations, 76% in AAN-positive patients, and 43% in anti-SCL-70-positive patients.
Conclusions: our findings indicate a high prevalence of gastrointestinal damages in patients with scleroderma, which is compatible with reports from elsewhere. Motor dysfunction is the most prevalent esophageal damage in patients with scleroderma.