Purpose of review: The goal of this manuscript is to discuss the new diagnostic and potential treatment options for gut disease in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The concepts of quantification of gut perfusion and motility is reviewed. The risks of empiric therapeutics and challenges of studying the microbiome in SSc is discussed.
Recent findings: There are diagnostics that can provide information on gut perfusion and function that are of value in SSc. Easily implemented diagnostic tests are critical to avoid complications of empiric therapy. The role of the microbiome and drugs that target dysmotility are areas of active research.
Summary: SSc-related gastrointestinal tract involvement can be heterogeneous in clinical presentation and disease course. Noninvasive gastrointestinal measurement techniques that quantify neural communications with microvasculature in SSc can potentially guide the proper addition and discontinuation of therapeutics. The role of the microbiome and the role of nitric oxide on gut function are important areas of research for understanding gut dysfunction in SSc.
Keywords: Systemic sclerosis; gastrointestinal tract dysmotility; ischemia-reperfusion; microbiome; scleroderma.