Malnutrition, associated clinical factors, and depression in systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional study

Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between malnutrition and the clinical features of the disease and depression in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Method Patients with SSc who were followed up in our clinic were enrolled in the study. Malnutrition risk was assessed using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). Skin involvement was assessed using the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) and interincisal distance (ID) measurements were used to assess the maximal mouth opening capacity. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used for measuring the severity of depression. Results Ninety-eight patients with SSc (84.7% women; mean age 52.67 +/- 11.26 years) were included in the study. According to the MUST scores, 61.2%, 15.3%, and 23.5% of patients had low, medium, and high risk for malnutrition, respectively. The mRSS was significantly higher in the group with high malnutrition risk compared with low-risk group (p = 0.014). Malnutrition risk was associated with interstitial lung disease and bowel involvement (p = 0.044 and p = 0.021, respectively). Interincisal distance was lower in the group with high malnutrition risk compared with the low-risk group (p = 0.003). Malnutrition risk was higher in patients who had mild-to-severe depressive symptoms than in those without (p = 0.012). Interincisal distance and bowel involvement were the most relevant factors for malnutrition. Conclusions The risk of malnutrition is increased in patients with SSc. In our study, microstomia and bowel involvement were the most relevantly associated factors with malnutrition.