Anti-mitochondrial antibodies in systemic sclerosis target enteric neurons and are associated with GI dysmotility.

Background: Most patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) experience gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility. The enteric nervous system (ENS) regulates GI motility, and its dysfunction causes dysmotility. A subset of SSc patients harbor autoantibodies against the M2 mitochondrial antigen (AMA).

Managing gastrointestinal manifestations in systemic sclerosis, a mechanistic approach.

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease with heterogeneous presentation. Gastrointestinal (GI) complications of SSc are characterized by esophageal reflux, abnormal motility, and microbiome dysbiosis, which impact patient quality of life and mortality. Preventative therapeutics are lacking, with management primarily aimed at symptomatic control.

Drama Training as a Tool to Teach Medical Trainees Communication Skills: A Scoping Review.

Purpose: Recognizing the similarities between the skills an actor needs and those required of a physician in clinical communication, medical educators have begun to create drama-based interventions to teach communication skills. The purpose of this scoping review was to summarize existing educational interventions that use drama training to teach medical trainees communication skills.

Method: The authors searched PubMed, CINAHL Plus, Embase, ERIC, and Web of Science Core Collection multiple times beginning in March 2020 through March 2022.

Clinical Assessment of Gastrointestinal Involvement in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) has the potential to affect any component of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GI involvement in SSc is a leading cause of morbidity and overall decreased quality of life in this patient population, identifying a need for a concise approach to work-up. This literature review aims to present a systematic, anatomical approach and differential diagnosis of GI involvement in SSc for the general internist and rheumatologist.

A practical approach to the evaluation and management of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with systemic sclerosis.

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most commonly affected internal organ system in systemic sclerosis (SSc). SSc may lead to impaired function in any region of the GI tract, from the esophagus to the anorectum, which causes significant morbidity as well as mortality in patient subsets. Given the low prevalence of SSc in the community, many rheumatologists may not have a systematic framework for diagnosing or treating the GI complaints in this disease.

text4peds: a randomised text-messaging trial.

Background: The use of cell phone text messaging in the medical field is of growing interest, but there are few data examining its value in medical education. The text4peds educational text-messaging program was created for third-year medical students preparing for the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) paediatric subject examination.

Methods: A randomised, controlled trial was conducted with third-year medical students on their paediatric clerkship.