UCLA Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT) 2.0 Reflux Scale Correlates With Impaired Esophageal Scintigraphy Findings in Systemic Sclerosis

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.