Severe gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis

Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Jun;26(6):1025-6. doi: 10.1007/s10067-006-0264-8. Epub 2006 Mar 21.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is the most common organ system involved in systemic sclerosis (SSc). GIT involvement is mainly attributed to GIT dismobility and wide mouth diverticular. GIT involvement in SSc can be also severely debilitating and even life threatening. To our knowledge, the presence of gastrointestinal bleeding due to the presence of multiple peptic ulcers in scleroderma patients is not well described. In this case report, we describe a scleroderma patient with recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding due to multiple peptic ulcers, in which vagotomy, pyloroplasty, and cholocystectomy were performed and subcutaneous somatostatin was administered to discontinue the recurrent bleeding and stabilize her clinical condition.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Gastrins / blood*
  • Gastrins / drug effects
  • Gastrins / metabolism
  • Hormones / administration & dosage
  • Humans
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Middle Aged
  • Peptic Ulcer / complications
  • Peptic Ulcer / drug therapy*
  • Peptic Ulcer / etiology*
  • Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage / drug therapy
  • Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage / pathology*
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / complications*
  • Somatostatin / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Gastrins
  • Hormones
  • Somatostatin