Distinct clinical trajectories of gastrointestinal progression among patients with systemic sclerosis.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is heterogeneous in its clinical presentation. Common manifestations cluster together, defining unique subgroups. This investigation aims to characterize gastrointestinal (GI) phenotypes and determine whether they can be distinguished by temporal progression.

Methods

We examined a well-established SSc patient cohort with a modified Medsger GI severity score measured over time to determine heterogeneity in disease progression. Growth mixture models estimated each patient's phenotype and disease severity trajectory over time. We compared the characteristics of estimated phenotypes using non-parametric statistics and linear and logistic regression to compare patient characteristics between phenotypes while adjusting for disease duration.

R

SUBMITTER: Perin J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12048082 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature