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Nutritional Decline in Scleroderma Patients Data from a single Romanian center


Malnutrition has been known to provide poor survival outcomes in systemic sclerosis (SSc). We recruited a series of 40 consecutive SSc patients, 22 (55%) with limited cutaneous involvement and 18 (45%) with the diffuse form of disease. The study group was evaluated using the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), anthropometric measurements, the EPIC-Norfolk Food Frequency Questionnaire, the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) as well as circulating albumin and vitamin D. MUST scores were correlated with mRSS and serum albumin (R=0.40, p=0.010, and R=-0.46, p=0.003, respectively). Serum vitamin D values were inversely related to mRSS (R=-0.35, p=0.026). We recorded a greater number of daily gastrointestinal symptoms associated with diets rich in sodium, fat, sugars and snacks, carotene, and �-tocopherol equivalents (vitamin E) in our study population. Scleroderma patients might benefit from nutritional counseling in order to follow a diet tailored to their specific needs.
