Second-generation colon capsule endoscopy vs. colonoscopy in pediatric ulcerative colitis: a pilot study

Nationwide multicenter prospective study on the usefulness, safety, and acceptability of colon capsule endoscopy in Japan

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

We determined the factors influencing total capsule colonoscopy, adequate cleansing, and detectability of second-generation colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) for colorectal polyps or tumors (CRTs), adverse events, and acceptability.

METHODS

Among 44 Japanese hospitals, 1006 patients with suspected or documented colorectal diseases who underwent CCE were enrolled prospectively.

RESULTS

The total capsule colonoscopy rate was 86.1%. Age younger than 63 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.525), male sex (aOR, 1.496), inflammatory bowel disease (aOR, 1.889), lavage intake on day -1 (aOR, 1.625), ≥1800-mL lavage intake on day 0 (aOR, .595), prokinetics on day 0 (aOR, .608), and ≥30-mL castor oil booster on day 0 (aOR, 1.734) were significant independent predictors. The overall adequate cleansing rate was 65.5%. Constipation (aOR, .527), lavage intake on day -1 (aOR, 1.822), laxative intake on day -1 (aOR, 2.616), and ≥1900-mL lavage intake on day 0 (aOR, 1.449) were significant independent predictors. The detection rates for patients with CRTs ≥6 mm and ≥10 mm were 92% (95% confidence interval, 84-97) and 89% (95% confidence interval, 78-96), respectively. Inadequate cleansing in the ascending colon (aOR, .184), ≥6-mm CRT in the transverse colon (aOR, 4.703), and ≥6-mm CRT in the left-sided colon (aOR, 32.013) were significant independent predictors. CCE retention occurred in 2 patients (.20%) requiring endoscopic and surgical interventions. In total, 63% of patients desired CCE for their next colonoscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

CCE was relatively safe, well tolerated, and useful for detecting colorectal lesions when adequate bowel preparation was made. (Clinical trial registration number: UMIN000021936.).

Pan-enteric Capsule Endoscopy to Characterize Crohn's Disease Phenotypes and Predict Clinical Outcomes in Children and Adults: The Bomiro Study

BACKGROUND

Pan-enteric capsule endoscopy (PCE) provides useful information for the management of Crohn's disease (CD), especially in children. No study has evaluated the ability of PCE to characterize CD phenotypes and outcomes in children and adults.

METHODS

In a prospective multicenter observational study, we recruited patients with CD >6 years from 4 centers in Italy. Patients underwent clinical, biomarker assessment and PCE. Lesions were graded using the PCE system. For each segment, the most common lesion (MCL), the most severe lesion (MSL), and the extent of involvement were defined. Disease severity, extent, and clinical outcomes were compared between children and adults. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictive factors for negative outcomes in both age groups.

RESULTS

One hundred ninety-four consecutive patients (adults/children: 144/50) were evaluated for a total of 249 procedures. Children were more likely to have extensive disease, particularly in the colon. Higher MCL scores were independently associated with treatment escalation (odds ratio [OR], 4.09; 95% CI, 1.80-9.25; P = .001), while >30% disease extent was more indicative of clinical and endoscopic relapse (OR, 2.98; 1.26-7.08; P = .013). Disease extent was the only factor associated with endoscopic recurrence in children (OR, 4.50; 95% CI, 1.47-13.77; P = .008), while severe lesions in adults provided a better predictor of treatment escalation (OR, 4.31; 95% CI, 1.52-12.1; P = .006). Postexamination, PCE contributed to a change of therapy in 196/249 (79%) of the procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

PCE allowed the characterization of CD phenotypes in children and adults by assessing disease severity and extent, which are of different importance in predicting clinical outcomes in these age groups.

Multicenter prospective feasibility study on compliance, safety, and acceptance of small bowel and colon capsule endoscopy in the out-of-clinic setting in Japan

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to determine the compliance, safety, and acceptance of colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) and small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) in an out-of-clinic setting remotely supported by medical staff.

METHODS

We enrolled 30 examinees (24 with CCE and six with SBCE) who had not undergone CE at six gastroenterological centers. All examinees were provided with instructions on equipment and bowel preparations.

RESULTS

CCE was performed at home (n = 16) or at the workplace (n = 8). Compliance with data-recorder alerts was 100% for bowel preparation and 79% for equipment operation. Total capsule colonoscopy was achieved in 83.3%. The overall adequate endoscopic cleansing rate was 83.3%, and abnormalities, including colorectal polyps, were detected in 37.5%. CCE malfunction, such as the inability to automatically detect the small bowel mucosa occurred in one (4.2%). One experienced mild abdominal pain that required no treatment. Inquiries were present from half of the examinees. The proportions of examinees who desired and refused CCE at the next examination were 67% and 4%, respectively. SBCE was performed at home (n = 4) or at the workplace (n = 2). Compliance with the procedures was 100%. Whole small bowel images were recorded for all examinees. The overall adequate endoscopic clearness rate was 100%. One abnormality was detected. Inquiries were present from half of the examinees. There were no adverse events or malfunctions. The proportion of examinees who reported "quite easy" and "fairly easy" was 66%.

CONCLUSION

CCE and SBCE with all procedures in the out-of-clinic setting supported by remote consultations were feasible. A multicenter prospective study of the safety and acceptance of capsule endoscopy examinations at home (HomeCam-J study) (jRCTs042220163).

Capsule Endoscopy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Evolving Role and Recent Advances

Capsule endoscopy has been proven as an efficient and accurate tool in the diagnosing and monitoring patients with inflammatory bowel disease, especially Crohn's disease (CD). The current European Crohn's and Colitis Organization guidelines recommend small bowel disease assessment in newly diagnosed CD, wherein small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is of prime importance. SBCE plays an essential role in assessing mucosal healing in patients with CD, serving as a monitoring tool in a treat to target strategy, and is capable of identifying high-risk patients for future flares.

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Colon Capsule Endoscopy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) has regained popularity for lower gastrointestinal investigations since the COVID-19 pandemic. While there have been systematic reviews and meta-analyses on colonic polyp detection using CCE, there is a lack of comprehensive evidence concerning colonic inflammation. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of CCE for colonic inflammation, predominantly ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Methods: We systematically searched electronic databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and Cochrane Library) for studies comparing the diagnostic accuracy between CCE and optical endoscopy as the standard reference. A bivariate random effect model was used for the meta-analysis. Results: From 3797 publications, 23 studies involving 1353 patients were included. Nine studies focused on UC, and ten focused on CD. For UC, CCE showed a pooled sensitivity of 92% (95% CI, 88-95%), a specificity of 71% (95% CI, 35-92%), and an AUC of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.89-0.97). For CD, the pooled sensitivity was 92% (95% CI, 89-95%), and the specificity was 88% (95% CI, 84-92%), with an AUC of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.76-0.98). Overall, for inflammatory bowel disease, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 90% (95% CI, 85-93%), 76% (95% CI, 56-90%), and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.94-0.97), respectively. Conclusions: Despite the challenges around standardised disease scoring and the lack of histological confirmation, CCE performs well in diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease. It demonstrates high sensitivity in both UC and Crohn's terminal ileitis and colitis and high specificity in Crohn's disease. Further studies are needed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of other colonic inflammatory conditions.

A Treat-to-Target Strategy Guided by Pan-Enteric Evaluation in Children With Crohn's Disease Improves Outcomes at 2 Years

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

It is uncertain whether a treat-to-target approach could be an effective strategy for improving outcomes in children with Crohn's disease (CD). Previously, we reported mucosal healing (MH) and deep remission rates throughout the intestinal tract by performing 3 pan-enteric capsule assessments and using a treat-to-target strategy over 52 weeks in children with CD. This report describes the outcomes of this approach at 104 weeks.

METHODS

Children with known CD who completed the 52-week protocol repeated pan-enteric capsule endoscopy (PCE) at 104 weeks. Results at weeks 52 and 104 were compared, and long-term outcomes between patients, with and without MH, were calculated using an intention-to-treat analysis of clinical relapse, need for steroids, treatment escalation, hospitalization, and surgery.

RESULTS

Of the previous study cohort of 48 patients, 46 (96%) were available for this extension study (28 [61%] of 46 with MH and 18 [39%] of 46 without MH at 52 weeks). When evaluated at 104 weeks, MH was maintained in 93% of patients with MH at 52 weeks. In the intention-to-treat analysis, complete MH at 52 weeks was associated with reduced risk of steroid use (log-rank P < .0001), treatment escalation (log-rank P < .0001), hospitalization (log-rank P < .0001), and clinical relapse (log-rank P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

When a PCE-based, treat-to-target strategy is employed, MH is sustainable (93%) over a 1-year period and is correlated with improved patient outcomes, including reduced need for steroids, treatment escalation, hospitalization, and clinical relapses at 104 weeks.ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT03161886.

Diagnostic accuracy of multimodal noninvasive follow-up for pediatric ulcerative colitis: A single-center prospective study

OBJECTIVES

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often requiring endoscopic evaluations, which can be uncomfortable and costly, especially for children. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a noninvasive approach combining fecal calprotectin (FCP), colonic ultrasonography (US), and colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) compared with standard ileocolonoscopy in pediatric UC.

METHODS

UC children were enrolled and underwent FCP and US on Day 0, followed by CCE on Day 1 and ileocolonoscopy on Day 2. All procedures were performed by operators who were blinded to the patient's clinical history and all test results. The accuracy for disease activity and extension of each technique and their combination was assessed and compared. Tolerability and safety were also evaluated.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients were enrolled (15 males, mean age 13.2 ± 3.2 years). CCE showed a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 100% in detecting colonic inflammation, with positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 100% and 92%, respectively. US demonstrated a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 92%, with PPV and NPV of 94% and 79%. The combination of FCP, US, and CCE achieved 95% sensitivity and 100% specificity, with PPV of 100% and NPV of 92%. The noninvasive approach was better tolerated than colonoscopy (p < 0.05), and no serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSION

The noninvasive approach combining fecal calprotectin (FCP), ultrasonography, and colon capsule endoscopy demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy and better tolerability compared with standard ileocolonoscopy in pediatric ulcerative colitis follow-up. Further multicenter studies are needed to confirm these findings and evaluate the reproducibility of this noninvasive approach.

Inter/Intra-Observer Agreement in Video-Capsule Endoscopy: Are We Getting It All Wrong? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Video-capsule endoscopy (VCE) reading is a time- and energy-consuming task. Agreement on findings between readers (either different or the same) is a crucial point for increasing performance and providing valid reports. The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis is to provide an evaluation of inter/intra-observer agreement in VCE reading. A systematic literature search in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science was performed throughout September 2022. The degree of observer agreement, expressed with different test statistics, was extracted. As different statistics are not directly comparable, our analyses were stratified by type of test statistics, dividing them in groups of "None/Poor/Minimal", "Moderate/Weak/Fair", "Good/Excellent/Strong" and "Perfect/Almost perfect" to report the proportions of each. In total, 60 studies were included in the analysis, with a total of 579 comparisons. The quality of included studies, assessed with the MINORS score, was sufficient in 52/60 studies. The most common test statistics were the Kappa statistics for categorical outcomes (424 comparisons) and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for continuous outcomes (73 comparisons). In the overall comparison of inter-observer agreement, only 23% were evaluated as "good" or "perfect"; for intra-observer agreement, this was the case in 36%. Sources of heterogeneity (high, I2 81.8-98.1%) were investigated with meta-regressions, showing a possible role of country, capsule type and year of publication in Kappa inter-observer agreement. VCE reading suffers from substantial heterogeneity and sub-optimal agreement in both inter- and intra-observer evaluation. Artificial-intelligence-based tools and the adoption of a unified terminology may progressively enhance levels of agreement in VCE reading.

Advances in Pediatric Diagnostic Endoscopy: A State-of-the-Art Review

Pediatric endoscopy has revolutionized the way we diagnose and treat gastrointestinal disorders in children. Technological advances in computer processing and imaging continue to affect endoscopic equipment and advance diagnostic tools for pediatric endoscopy. Although commonly used by adult gastroenterologists, modalities, such as endomicroscopy, image-enhanced endoscopy, and impedance planimetry, are not routinely used in pediatric gastroenterology. This state-of-the-art review describes advances in diagnostic modalities, including image-enhanced endoscopy, confocal laser endomicroscopy, optical coherence tomography, endo functional luminal imaging probes, wireless motility/pH capsule, wireless colon capsule endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound, and discusses the basic principles of each technology, including adult indications and pediatric applications, safety cost, and training data.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence rates of adverse events after digestive endoscopy in children

BACKGROUND

With the widespread use of digestive endoscopy in children, a variety of adverse events (AEs) have occurred after digestive endoscopy. However, there are notable differences in the incidence of adverse reactions in digestive endoscopy in children at present, which makes it difficult to assess the safety of digestive endoscopy in children.

METHODS

Studies related to digestive endoscopy in children were screened from January 2005 to October 2021 from PubMed, Web of Science, Spring, CNKI, and Science Direct databases. RevMan5.3 and Stata were employed to carry out meta-analysis on the incidence of adverse respiratory events, myoclonus, abdominal pain, fever, bleeding, chest pain, sore throat, vomiting, and delayed capsule discharge after digestive endoscopy in children. The article quality was evaluated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The chi-square test and I² were adopted to test literature heterogeneity, and the article publication bias was assessed by displaying an inverted funnel plot as a funnel plot.

RESULTS

In all, 15 articles were included, involving a total of 27,770 children. In all, 15 articles were included, involving a total of 27,770 children. The risk ratio (RR) value of adverse respiratory events after digestive endoscopy in children was 1.31 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17 to 1.47, P<0.00001]; the odds ratio (OR) value of the incidence of myoclonus was 1.21 (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.46, P=0.04); the incidence of abdominal pain was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.11 to 1.27, P<0.00001); the incidence of fever was 1.09 (95% CI: 1.06 to 1.12, P<0.00001); the incidence of bleeding was 1.24 (95% CI: 0.94 to 1.64, P=0.13); the incidence of chest pain was 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03 to 1.09, P<0.0001); incidence of sore throat was 1.11 (95% CI: 1.05 to 1.18, P=0.0004); incidence of vomiting was 1.13 (95% CI: 1.06 to 1.21, P=0.0001); and the incidence of delayed capsule expulsion was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.00 to 1.40, P=0.05).

DISCUSSION

The incidence of AEs after digestive endoscopy in children was low, which can be used in the diagnosis and therapy of digestive system diseases in children.

Video capsule endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease

Since its introduction into clinical practice in 2000, capsule endoscopy (CE) has become an important procedure for many pathologies of small bowel (SB) diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Currently, the most commonly used capsule procedures are small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE), colon CE (CCE), and the recently developed pan-enteric CE that evaluates the SB and colon in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). SBCE has a higher diagnostic performance compared to other radiological and conventional endoscopic modalities in patients with suspected CD. Additionally, CE plays an important role in monitoring the activity of CD in SB. It can also be used in evaluating response to anti-inflammatory treatment and detecting recurrence in postsurgical patients with CD who underwent bowel resection. Due to its increasing use, different scoring systems have been developed specifically for IBD. The main target with CCE is ulcerative colitis (UC). The second-generation colon capsule has shown high performance for the assessment of inflammation in patients with UC. CCE allows noninvasive evaluation of mucosal inflammation with a reduced volume of preparation for patients with UC.

Optimal Range of Fecal Calprotectin for Predicting Mucosal Healing in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Fecal calprotectin (FC) is a promising marker for assessment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity. However, the utility of FC for predicting mucosal healing (MH) of IBD patients has yet to be clearly demonstrated. The objective of our study was to perform a meta-analysis evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of FC in predicting MH of IBD patients.

METHODS

We systematically searched the databases for studies from inception to April 2020 that evaluated MH in IBD. The methodological quality of each study was assessed according to the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies checklist. The extracted data were pooled using a summary receiver operating characteristic curve model. Random-effects model was used to summarize the diagnostic odds ratio, sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies comprising 1,682 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 4 studies comprising 221 Crohn's disease (CD) patients were included. The best performance of FC for predicting MH in UC was at cut-off range of 60-75 μg/g with area under the curve (AUC) of 0.88 and pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.87 and 0.79, respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity values of cutoff range 180-250 μg/g for predicting MH in CD were 0.67 and 0.76, respectively. The AUC of 0.79 also revealed improved discrimination for identifying MH in CD with FC concentration.

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis has found that FC is a simple, reliable noninvasive marker for predicting MH in IBD patients. FC cutoff range 60-75 μg/g appears to have the best overall accuracy in UC patients.

Gastrointestinal endoscopy in children and adults: How do they differ?

Gastrointestinal endoscopy has grown dramatically over the past century, and with subsequent improvements in technology and anaesthesia, it has become a safe and useful tool for evaluation of GI pathology in children. There are substantial differences between paediatric and adult endoscopy beyond size, including: age-related patho-physiology and the different spectrum of diseases in children. Literature on endoscopic procedures in children is sparse but significant. The present review aims at describing the current knowledges on paediatric endoscopy practice and highlights the main areas of differences between paediatric and adult practice.

Current status of colon capsule endoscopy

While both the annual incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer are slowly but steadily decreasing in the United States, the incidence of such malignancy is increasing in Japan. Thus, controlling colorectal cancer in Japan is a major concern. In 2006, colon capsule endoscopy was first introduced by Eliakim et al. First-generation colon capsule endoscopy had a moderate sensitivity for detecting polyps of more than 6 mm. Thus, second-generation colon capsule endoscopy was developed to achieve higher sensitivity. Colonoscopy is the gold standard tool for colorectal cancer surveillance. With an improvement in the imaging function, the performance of second-generation colon capsule endoscopy is almost as satisfactory as that of colonoscopy. Certain situations, such as incomplete colonoscopy and contraindication for use of sedation, can benefit from colon capsule endoscopy. Colon capsule endoscopy requires a more extensive bowel preparation than colonoscopy and computed tomography colonography because it requires laxatives not only for bowel cleansing but also for promoting the excretion of the capsule. Another problem with colon capsule endoscopy includes the burden of reading and interpretation and overlook of the lesions. Currently, the development of automatic diagnosis of colon capsule endoscopy using artificial intelligence is still under progress. Although the available guidelines do not support the use of colon capsule endoscopy for inflammatory bowel disease, the possible application of colon capsule endoscopy is ulcerative colitis. This review article summarizes and focuses on the current status of colon capsule endoscopy for colorectal cancer screening and the possibility for its applicability on inflammatory bowel disease.

Role of Capsule Endoscopy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

In Crohn disease (CD), the use of capsule endoscopy (CE) for suspected versus established disease is very different. Most patients with CD are diagnosed with ileocolonoscopy. In patients with a negative ileocolonoscopy, CE is the next best test in suspected CD. In patients with established CD, the potential benefits of CE are rating severity of disease, establishing extent and distribution, and following mucosal healing in a treat to target strategy. In those with proximal small bowel disease, CE can help in diagnosis and prognostication. In ulcerative colitis, CE has a limited role, but that may change with evolving technology.

Colon Capsule Endoscopy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Colon capsule endoscopy was initially introduced in 2006. Since the results of a prospective study to evaluate first-generation colon capsule endoscopy efficacy for the detection of colonic neoplasia were unsatisfactory, second-generation colon capsule endoscopy was developed and reported in 2009. In this review article, we provide an overview of the current state of colon capsule endoscopy for evaluation of inflammatory bowel disease in a clinical setting and describe our clinical experience with this technology and its application. Among the various types of inflammatory bowel diseases, ulcerative colitis is the primary target for application of colon capsule endoscopy. Nevertheless, the initial results of studies using first-generation colon capsule endoscopy to evaluate inflammation were unclear. More recently, second-generation colon capsule endoscopy has provided higher accuracy for assessment of inflammation in patients with ulcerative colitis. Colon capsule endoscopy enables noninvasive observation (with reduced volume preparation) of mucosal inflammation severity in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Comparison of small-bowel colon capsule endoscopy system to conventional colonoscopy for the evaluation of ulcerative colitis activity

Background and aims  Diagnosis and monitoring of ulcerative colitis (UC) includes conventional colonoscopy. This procedure is invasive and does not exclude small-bowel Crohn's disease (CD). Current therapeutic goals include mucosal healing which may lead to an increased number of endoscopic procedures in many patients. The small-bowel colon capsule endoscopy (SBC-CE) system visualizes the small bowel and colon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance and adverse events of SBC-CE in patients with UC. Methods  This was a prospective, feasibility study involving two study sites. Patients with active UC underwent SBC-CE and colonoscopy. Kappa statistics were performed to assess the agreement between SBC-CE and colonoscopy. Adverse events (AEs) data were collected throughout and following the procedure. Results  In total, 30 consecutive patients were recruited, and 23 of those were included in the final analysis. For the primary end point, evaluation of the extent of UC disease in the colon, the percent agreement between SBC-CE and colonoscopy was moderate (56.5 %); kappa coefficient 0.42. The percent agreement between SBC-CE and colonoscopy for UC disease activity, based on Mayo endoscopic sub-score, was 95.7 %; kappa coefficient 0.86. Disease activity in the more proximal small bowel was detected in two patients with SBC-CE. No SBC-CE device-related AEs were reported. Conclusions  When comparing SBC-CE to conventional colonoscopy, there was a moderate agreement for the extent of UC disease and a very good overall agreement between the two modalities for UC disease activity.

A Treat to Target Strategy Using Panenteric Capsule Endoscopy in Pediatric Patients With Crohn's Disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Pan-enteric capsule endoscopy (PCE) is effective for assessment of small intestinal and colonic Crohn's disease (CD) in pediatric patients. We aimed to determine whether PCE can be used to monitor mucosal healing and deep remission, in a treat to target strategy for pediatric patients with CD.

METHODS

We performed a prospective study of 48 children with a diagnosis of CD at a tertiary care pediatric gastroenterology unit; 46 patients were included in the final analysis. Biomarker, imaging, and PCE analyses were performed at baseline and after 24 and 52 weeks. Small bowel and colonic mucosal healing were defined by Lewis scores <135 and simple endoscopic score for CD ≤1, respectively. Clinical remission was defined as defined as a pediatric CD activity index score <10 and biomarker-based remission based on normal levels of biomarkers; deep remission was defined as a combination of clinical remission, biomarker-based remission, and mucosal healing. Treatments were adjusted based on findings from PCE (imaging was considered only for patients with negative findings from PCE). Therapies were introduced, optimized, switched, or combined at the discretion of treating clinicians. The primary outcome was the ability of PCE to assess mucosal healing and deep remission at 3 timepoints and to guide a treat to target strategy.

RESULTS

PCE detected inflammation in 34 patients (71%) at baseline, 22 patients (46%) at week 24, and 18 patients (39%) at week 52 (P for comparison among timepoints <.05). Findings from PCE led to a change in therapy for 34 patients (71%) at baseline and 11 patients (23%) at 24 weeks, whereas only 2 patients with negative results from PCE (4%) changed therapies based on findings from imaging. When the treat to target strategy was applied, proportions of patients with mucosal healing and deep remission increased from 21% at baseline, to 54% at week 24, to 58% at week 52 (P for comparison among timepoints <.05); 2 patients (4%) did not respond to treatment.

CONCLUSION

In a prospective study of 48 children with CD, we found a treat to target strategy, based on findings from PCE, to significantly increase the proportions of patients with mucosal healing and deep remission.

CLINICAL TRIAL

gov no: NCT03161886.

Multicenter feasibility study of bowel preparation with castor oil for colon capsule endoscopy

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Extensive use of laxatives and incomplete excretion rates are problematic for colon capsule endoscopy (CCE). The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of castor oil as a booster.

METHODS

At four Japanese hospitals, 319 examinees undergoing CCE were enrolled retrospectively. Before and after the introduction of castor oil, other preparation reagents were unchanged.

RESULTS

Of 319 examinees who underwent CCE, 152 and 167 examinees took regimens with castor oil (between November 2013 and June 2016) and without castor oil (between October 2015 and September 2017), respectively. Capsule excretion rates within its battery life in the groups with and without castor oil were 97% and 81%, respectively (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that ages younger than 65 years (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.00; P = 0.0048), male gender (adjusted OR, 3.20; P = 0.0051), and use of castor oil (adjusted OR, 6.29; P = 0.0003) were predictors of capsule excretion within its battery life. Small bowel transit time was shorter and total volume of lavage and fluid intake was lower with castor oil than without (P = 0.0154 and 0.0013, respectively). Overall adequate cleansing level ratios with and without castor oil were 74% and 83%, respectively (P = 0.0713). Per-examinee sensitivity for polyps ≥6 mm with and without castor oil was 83% and 85%, respectively, with specificities of 80% and 78%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Bowel preparation with castor oil was effective for improving capsule excretion rate and reducing liquid loading.

Evaluating mucosal healing using colon capsule endoscopy predicts outcome in patients with ulcerative colitis in clinical remission

AIM

To examine whether second generation of colon capsule endoscopy (CCE-2) is acceptable for assessing the severity of mucosal inflammation and evaluating mucosal healing using CCE-2 is able to predict outcome in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, especially in clinical remission.

METHODS

A total of 30 consecutive UC patients in clinical remission were enrolled to undergo CCE-2. Clinical remission was defined as clinical activity index (CAI) ≤ 4 according to Rachmilewitz index. The rate of total colon observation and colon cleansing level were evaluated. Severity of mucosal inflammation in UC was assessed according to the Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) and Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS). Relapse-free survival was assessed. Acceptability of CCE-2 was assessed using a questionnaire survey.

RESULTS

The rate of total colon observation within its battery life was 93.3%. The proportion of "excellent" plus "good" cleansing level was 73.3%. The rate of mucosal healing (MES 0, 1) assessed by CCE-2 was 77.0%. The relapse-free survival rate was significantly higher in MES 0, 1 than in MES 2, 3 (P = 0.0435), and in UCEIS 0-3 than in UCEIS 4-8 (P = 0.0211), whereas there was no significant difference between CAI 0 and CAI 1-4 groups. A questionnaire survey revealed an overall acceptability of CCE.

CONCLUSION

CCE-2 is acceptable for assessing the severity of mucosal inflammation in UC patients, especially in clinical remission. Evaluating mucosal healing using CCE-2 was able to predict outcome.

Endoscopy in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Position Paper on Behalf of the Porto IBD Group of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

Endoscopy is a central tool for the evaluation and management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In the last few decades, gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy has undergone significant technological developments including availability of pediatric-size equipment, enabling comprehensive investigation of the GI tract in children. Simultaneously, professional organization of GI experts have developed guidelines and training programs in pediatric GI endoscopy. This prompted the Porto Group on Pediatric IBD of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition to develop updated guidelines on the role of GI endoscopy in pediatric IBD, specifically taking into considerations of recent advances in the diagnosis, disease stratification, and novel therapeutic targets in these patients.

Colon capsule endoscopy for inflammatory bowel disease

Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) is designed for direct visualization of the colonic mucosa through passive propulsion. The role of CCE in the detection of colonic polyps has been extensively evaluated. As mucosal healing has emerged as a pivotal target for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there is increasing data to suggest that CCE can also be used in the monitoring of mucosal inflammation in patients with active IBD, particularly in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Despite advantages such as its non-invasive nature, patient's comfort, safety, and access to anatomical regions not easily reached by conventional endoscopy, CE has limitations including the lack of ability to obtain biopsies or therapeutic capabilities and no control over movement. In this review, the role and diagnostic value of CCE on diagnosis and monitoring of UC and CD patients, its safety and limitations are discussed.

Recent Advance in Colon Capsule Endoscopy: What's New?

Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) is a relatively new diagnostic procedure for patients with suspected colonic diseases. This convenient,noninvasive method enables the physician to explore the entire colon without significant discomfort to the patient. However, while CCEcan be performed painlessly without bowel air insufflation, the need for vigorous bowel preparation and other technical limitationsexist. Due to such limitations, CCE has not replaced conventional colonoscopy. In this review, we discuss historical and recentadvances in CCE including technical issues, ideal bowel preparation, indications and contraindications and highlight further technicaladvancements and clinical studies which are needed to develop CCE as a potential diagnostic tool.

A prospective study on second-generation colon capsule endoscopy to detect mucosal lesions and disease activity in ulcerative colitis (with video)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Mucosal healing is the goal for ulcerative colitis (UC) therapy, but it needs to be confirmed via colonoscopy. Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) is a noninvasive technique for colon investigation. Our study investigated the accuracy of second-generation CCE (CCE-2) in assessing mucosal lesions and disease activity in UC.

METHODS

In this prospective study, CCE-2 and conventional colonoscopy were performed on the same day. CCE-2 reviewers and colonoscopists used the Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) and the Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS) to assess disease activity, and they were blinded to each other's findings. Diagnostic parameters of CCE-2 for identifying mucosal lesions were evaluated by using colonoscopy as the reference.

RESULTS

A total of 150 patients were enrolled. Of the 150 patients, 108 were included for per-patient analysis. CCE-2 and colonoscopy showed substantial agreement in measuring MES (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-0.81; P < .001) and UCEIS (ICC 0.64; 95% CI, 0.38-0.78; P < .001). CCE-2 had a sensitivity of 97% and 94% to detect mucosal inflammation (MES >0) and moderate to severe inflammation (MES >1), respectively. In per-segment analysis, the negative predictive values of CCE-2 to detect mucosal inflammation, including vascular pattern loss, bleeding, and erosions reached 94% to 95%. Interobserver agreement between 2 independent CCE-2 readers for both scoring systems was good (ICC > .80). The sensitivity and specificity of CCE-2 in detecting postinflammatory polyps were 100% and 91%, respectively. CCE-2 was better tolerated and preferred by patients than was colonoscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

CCE-2 yields high accuracy in detecting mucosal lesions and determining disease severity in UC. It represents a well-tolerated and reliable tool for disease monitoring in UC. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT02469103.).

A global perspective on capsule endoscopy

A search of the internet today to quantify the estimated value of capsules from a global perspective, easily delivers figures stating around $200 million in 2014 to about $400 million by 2020, which would be approximately 10% of the gastrointestinal endoscopic market. Is this a steep rise within just six years or could the capsule market do even better? What chances does this offer and what are the key aspects for future success? By 2020, more than 1 billion people are aged sixty or older and around one third of them will live in what the UN calls "more developed regions". Naturally, this brings an increased demand for colorectal cancer screening and surgery. But keeping in mind that basically every healthcare system, in any country, is already operating at its limits, how do we secure future treatment for a growing community? Surely more competition will steadily bring down prices for capsules. However, that does not ease the amount of time that is spent to properly read any video and issue a valid diagnosis for every patient. This article intends to give an overview about the current global market for capsule endoscopy (CE) with a perspective on typical patients, their indications, and how the capsules are used and by whom. Further aspects, such as standardization of training, reading and future trends will also be elaborated on.

Recent advances in pediatric gastrointestinal endoscopy: an overview

Pediatric gastrointestinal endoscopy has become a fundamental component of health care for infants and children. New imaging technologies and creative extraluminal applications have brought exciting and clinically important benefits to pediatric gastrointestinal endoscopy. Areas covered: The impact of different new technologies in pediatric endoscopy and focused on improvements in mucosa visualization and the application of new noninvasive tools and procedures to avoid biopsies or surgery are reviewed. Expert commentary: Enhancement in mucosal visualization and reduction of anesthesia and biopsies are the main goals that guide the endoscopy development in pediatrics. The advent of newer imaging modalities has allowed clinicians to characterize and evaluate subtle mucosal lesions better, while advancements in current endoscopes have created the opportunity to monitor chronic conditions noninvasively. Continued expansion of these modalities seems certain, with increased utilization in pediatric gastroenterology.

Histologic scoring indices for evaluation of disease activity in ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND

Disease activity can be determined using clinical, endoscopic or histologic criteria in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Persistent disease activity is associated with poor outcomes. Histologic disease activity has been shown to be associated with relapse, colectomy and colorectal cancer. The ability to objectively evaluate microscopic disease activity using histology is important for both clinical practice and clinical trials. However, the operating properties of the currently available histologic indices remain unclear.

OBJECTIVES

A systematic review was undertaken to identify and evaluate the development and operating characteristics of histologic disease activity indices used to assess disease activity in people with ulcerative colitis.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, CENTRAL and the Cochrane IBD Review Group Specialized Trials Register from inception to 2 December 2016 for applicable studies. There were no language or document type restrictions.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Any study design (e.g. randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case series) that evaluated a histologic index in patients with UC were considered for inclusion. Eligible patients were adults (> 18 years), diagnosed with UC using conventional clinical, radiographic, endoscopic and histologic criteria.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors (MHM and CEP) independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of the studies identified from the literature search. A standardized form was used to assess eligibility of trials for inclusion and for data extraction.Two authors (MHM and CEP) independently extracted and recorded data, which included the number of patients enrolled, number of patients per treatment arm, patient characteristics including age and gender distribution, and the name of the histologic index. Outcomes (i.e. intra-rater reliability, inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, content validity, criterion validity, construct validity, responsiveness, and feasibility) were recorded for each trial.

MAIN RESULTS

In total, 126 reports describing 30 scoring indices were identified through the screening process. Eleven of the 30 scoring indices have undergone some form of index validation. Intra-rater reliability was assessed for eight scoring indices. Inter-rater reliability was evaluated for all 11 of the scoring indices. Three of the indices underwent content validation. Two of the included scoring indices assessed criterion validity. Six of the included scoring indices explored content validity. Two of the included scoring indices were tested for responsiveness.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The Nancy Index and the Robarts Histopathology Index have undergone the most validation in that four operating properties including reliability, content validity, construct validity (hypothesis testing) and criterion validity have been tested. However, none of the currently available histologic scoring indices have been fully validated. In order to determine the optimal endpoint for histologic healing in UC, more research is required. The optimal index would need to be fully validated.

NASPGHAN Capsule Endoscopy Clinical Report

Wireless capsule endoscopy (CE) was introduced in 2000 as a less invasive method to visualize the distal small bowel in adults. Because this technology has advanced it has been adapted for use in pediatric gastroenterology. Several studies have described its clinical use, utility, and various training methods but pediatric literature regarding CE is limited. This clinical report developed by the Endoscopic and Procedures Committee of the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition outlines the current literature, and describes the recommended current role, use, training, and future areas of research for CE in pediatrics.

Colon capsule endoscopy: toward the future

Colon capsule endoscopy is a wireless and minimally invasive technique for visualization of the whole colon. With recent improvements of technical features in second-generation systems, a more important role for colon capsule endoscopy is rapidly emerging. Although several limitations and drawbacks are yet to be resolved, its usefulness as a tool for colorectal cancer screening and monitoring disease activity in inflammatory bowel diseases has become more apparent with increased use. Further investigations, including multicenter trials, are required to evaluate the substantial role of the colon capsule in managing colorectal diseases.

Guideline for wireless capsule endoscopy in children and adolescents: A consensus document by the SEGHNP (Spanish Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition) and the SEPD (Spanish Society for Digestive Diseases)

INTRODUCTION

Capsule Endoscopy (CE) in children has limitations based mainly on age. The objective of this consensus was reviewing the scientific evidence.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Some experts from the Spanish Society of Gastroenterology (SEPD) and Spanish Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (SEGHNP) were invited to answer different issues about CE in children. These sections were: a) Indications, contraindications and limitations; b) efficacy of CE in different clinical scenarios; c) CE performance; d) CE-related complications; e) Patency Capsule; and f) colon capsule endoscopy. They reviewed relevant questions on each topic.

RESULTS

The main indication is Crohn's disease (CD). There is no contraindication for the age and in the event that the patient not to swallow it, it should be administered under deep sedation with endoscopy and specific device. The CE is useful in CD, for the management of OGIB in children and in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (in this indication has the most effectiveness). The main complication is retention, which should be specially taken into account in cases of CD already diagnosed with malnutrition. A preparation regimen based on a low volume of polyethylene glycol (PEG) the day before plus simethicone on the same day is the best one in terms of cleanliness although does not improve the results of the CE procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

CE is safe and useful in children. Indications are similar to those of adults, the main one is CD to establish both a diagnosis and disease extension. Moreover, only few limitations are detected in children.

Review: capsule colonoscopy-a concise clinical overview of current status

The colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) was first introduced in 2007. Currently, the main clinical indications for CCE are completion of incomplete colonoscopy, polyp detection and investigation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although conventional colonoscopy is the gold standard in bowel cancer screening, incomplete colonoscopy remains a problem as lesions are missed. CCE compares favourably to computer tomography colonography (CTC) in adenoma detection and has therefore been proposed as a method for completing colonoscopy. However the data on CCE remains sparse and current evidence does not show its superiority over CTC or conventional colonoscopy in bowel cancer screening. CCE also seems to show good correlation with conventional colonoscopy when used to evaluate IBD, but there are not many published studies at present. Other significant limitations include the need for aggressive bowel preparation and the labour-intensiveness of CCE reading. Therefore, much further software and hardware development is required to enable CCE to fulfill its potential as a minimally-invasive and reliable method of colonoscopy.

PillCam colon capsule endoscopy (PCCE) in colonic diseases

Diseases affecting the colon are common worldwide and can cause a major health problem. Colorectal cancer (CRC) as well as Inflammatory bowel diseases represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality in western countries. PillCam colon capsule endoscopy (PCCE) is a novel and promising technology that can be useful for the screening and monitoring of colonic diseases. In the recent years many articles examined the use of various versions of PCCE-the 1st and 2nd generation versus various other endoscopic or radiologic modalities both for detection of colonic polyps or cancer and in both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease. The aim of the current review is to provide up to date information regarding the use and usefulness of this method in these disease.

Colon Capsule Endoscopy: Where Are We and Where Are We Going

Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) is a noninvasive technique for diagnostic imaging of the colon. It does not require air inflation or sedation and allows minimally invasive and painless colonic evaluation. The role of CCE is rapidly evolving; for example, for colorectal screening (colorectal cancer [CRC]) in average-risk patients, in patients with an incomplete colonoscopy, in patients refusing a conventional colonoscopy, and in patients with contraindications for conventional colonoscopy. In this paper, we comprehensively review the technical characteristics and procedure of CCE and compare CCE with conventional methods such as conventional colonoscopy or computed tomographic colonography. Future expansion of CCE in the area of CRC screening for the surveillance of polyps and adenomatous lesions and for assessment of inflammatory bowel disease is also discussed.

Colon Capsule Endoscopy: Review and Perspectives

Colon capsule endoscopy utilizing PillCam COLON 2 capsule allows for visualization potentially of the entire colon and is currently approved for patients who cannot withstand the rigors of traditional optical colonoscopy (OC) and associated sedation as well as those that had an OC that was incomplete for technical reasons other than a poor preparation. We will then describe the prior experience and current status of colon capsule endoscopy.

Colon capsule endoscopy compared with other modalities in the evaluation of pediatric Crohn's disease of the small bowel and colon

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Data on colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) in evaluating the small bowel and colon concurrently are rare. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of CCE in assessing disease activity of the small bowel and colon in pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) by comparison with magnetic resonance enterography (MRE), small-intestine contrast US (SICUS), and ileocolonoscopy.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled 40 consecutive patients (22 male, 18 female, mean age 13.1 ± 3.1 years) with CD of the small bowel and colon. All underwent SICUS, MRE, CCE, and ileocolonoscopy sequentially over 5 days. All investigators were blinded to patient history and test results. Patients were classified as active or inactive for the small bowel and the colon according to specific criteria for each tool (simple endoscopic score for CD, Lewis score, US and magnetic resonance parameters of activity). For colon mucosa evaluation, ileocolonoscopy was the comparator. For the small bowel, a consensus panel was convened.

RESULTS

Sensitivity of CCE to detect colon inflammation was 89%, and specificity was 100%. The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of CCE for colon inflammation were 100% and 91%, respectively. In the small bowel, CCE showed 90% sensitivity, 94% specificity, with PPV and NPV of 95% and 90%, respectively. Accuracy parameters for SICUS (sensitivity 90%, specificity 83%) and MRE (sensitivity 85%, specificity 89%) were lower than those for CCE. No serious adverse events related to the CCE procedure or preparation were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

CCE is of great usefulness in evaluating both small bowel and colon mucosa in pediatric CD. This single, noninvasive tool makes it possible to evaluate the small-bowel and the colon concurrently with high diagnostic accuracy. Future multicenter studies need to define the role of CCE in the routine management of pediatric patients with CD. (

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02199626.).

Safety and Feasibility of Using the Second-Generation Pillcam Colon Capsule to Assess Active Colonic Crohn's Disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The second-generation Pillcam Colon Capsule Endoscope (PCCE-2; Given Imaging Ltd, Yoqneam, Israel) is an ingestible capsule for visualization of the colon. We performed a multicenter pilot study to assess its safety and feasibility in evaluating the severity of Crohn's disease (CD).

METHODS

In a prospective study, 40 patients with active colonic CD underwent PCCE-2 and optical colonoscopy procedures. Using both techniques, we generated values for the Crohn's Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS), the Simple Endoscopic Score for CD, and global evaluation of lesion severity. In the first stage of the study, we calculated the correlation between PCCE-2 and optical colonoscopy scores. In the second stage, we performed interobserver agreement analysis for a random subset of 20 PCCE-2 recordings, graded in duplicate by 2 independent readers.

RESULTS

There was substantial agreement between PCCE-2 and optical colonoscopy in the measurement of the CDEIS (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43-0.80). There was substantial interobserver agreement between 2 independent PCCE-2 readers for the CDEIS (ICC, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.35-0.86) and the Simple Endoscopic Score for CD (ICC, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.32-0.85). However, the PCCE-2 scoring systematically underestimated the severity of disease compared with optical colonoscopy; based on our results, PCCE-2 detected colonic ulcerations with 86% sensitivity and 40% specificity. No adverse events were observed and PCCE-2 was better tolerated than colonoscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

PCCE-2 is feasible, safe, and well tolerated for the assessment of mucosal CD activity in selected populations. Larger studies are needed to assess its operating characteristics further. European clinical trials database number: 2014-003854-15.

Wireless capsule endoscopy of the small intestine in children

Wireless capsule endoscopy (CE) for the diagnosis of small-bowel disease has been in clinical use for more than a decade, and is no longer an emerging technology, but rather one that has reached fruition. This noninvasive technology has been readily embraced by both physicians and patients. Used in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease, for locating sources of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, and for assessing small-bowel polyp burden in polyposis syndromes as well as for less common indications, CE has transformed the diagnostic algorithms of small-bowel investigations. Although already in widespread use, the technology incorporated into the various CE platforms continues to improve and expand. Here, we briefly review the indications, limitations, and advances in video capsule technology, with an emphasis on its use in pediatrics.

Factors associated with mucosal healing in patients with ulcerative colitis in clinical remission

BACKGROUND

Mucosal healing (MH) has been associated with improved outcomes in ulcerative colitis but factors associated with MH are not well defined.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with ulcerative colitis in clinical remission (Mayo symptomatic subscore = 0) who had at least 1 colonoscopy since diagnosis from 6 centers were included. For patients who had at least 2 colonoscopies during follow-up, each colonoscopy was reviewed to define whether they had early MH (Mayo endoscopic subscore reduced to 0 within 3 yr of clinical remission). Factors associated with MH and early MH were determined using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Two hundred thirty-seven patients with ulcerative colitis (mean age 50.39 ± 14.10 yr; 56.5% male) were included. Independent factors for MH were clinical remission >3 years (odds ratio [OR] 4.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-13.1), mild/moderate mucosal inflammation (OR 3.3; 95% CI, 1.3-8.5), and immunosuppressant use (OR 4.6; 95% CI, 1.5-14.6). Among patients who had ≥2 of above factors, 74% achieved MH, whereas only 39% with <2 factors achieved MH (P < 0.001). Of patients in clinical remission <1 year, 1 to 3 years and >3 years, 30%, 45.9%, and 62.9% achieved MH, respectively. Immunosuppressant therapy was associated with early MH (P = 0.025). In multivariate analysis, patients with previous mild inflammation were more likely to achieve early MH than those with moderate/severe inflammation (OR 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2-6.2).

CONCLUSIONS

A longer disease remission, previous less severe mucosal inflammation, and immunosuppressant use are associated with MH. Severity of mucosal inflammation and use of immunosuppressant are also associated with early MH.

Colon capsule endoscopy

Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) is a minimally invasive technique specifically designed to explore the colon without sedation and air insufflation. CCE may overcome some of the limitations of colonoscopy. Second-generation CCE (CCE-2) was proved accurate in detecting colonic neoplastic lesions when used in average-risk individuals. The evidence to date supports the use of CCE-2 in cases of colonoscopy failure, in patients unwilling to undergo colonoscopy, and when colonoscopy is contraindicated. Other potential applications, such as colorectal cancer screening or diagnostic surveillance of inflammatory bowel disease, require clarification.

Current status of capsule endoscopy through a whole digestive tract

More than a decade has passed since small-bowel capsule endoscopy (CE) was first reported. Small-bowel CE is a non-invasive tool that allows visualization of the entire small-intestinal mucosa and facilitates detection of small-intestinal abnormalities. Several studies have shown benefit of small-bowel CE for certain disorders. Because it is non-invasive, CE has been applied to other organs including the esophagus, stomach, and colon. The main indications for esophageal CE (ECE) are screening for gastroesophageal reflux disease/Barrett's esophagus, and esophageal varices. However, the clinical benefit of ECE is unconfirmed. Magnetically guided CE (MGCE) was developed to visualize the gastric mucosa. MGCE is a new concept with room for improvement of capsule navigation and the preparation protocol. Recently, two new small-bowel CE tools were released. First-generation colon CE (CCE-1) has moderate sensitivity and specificity compared with colonoscopy for colorectal neoplasia surveillance. To obtain higher accuracy, a second-generation CCE (CCE-2) was developed with a high sensitivity for detecting clinically relevant polypoid lesions. A possible application of CCE is for inflammatory bowel disease. In the near future, CE may include diagnostic and therapeutic functions such as magnifying endoscopy systems, targeted biopsy forceps, and drug delivery systems.

Video capsule endoscopy: perspectives of a revolutionary technique

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) was launched in 2000 and has revolutionized direct endoscopic imaging of the gut. VCE is now a first-line procedure for exploring the small bowel in cases of obscure digestive bleeding and is also indicated in some patients with Crohn's disease, celiac disease, and polyposis syndrome. A video capsule has also been designed for visualizing the esophagus in order to detect Barrett's esophagus or esophageal varices. Different capsules are now available and differ with regard to dimensions, image acquisition rate, battery life, field of view, and possible optical enhancements. More recently, the use of VCE has been extended to exploring the colon. Within the last 5 years, tremendous developments have been made toward increasing the capabilities of the colon capsule. Although colon capsule cannot be proposed as a first-line colorectal cancer screening procedure, colon capsule may be used in patients with incomplete colonoscopy or in patients who are unwilling to undergo colonoscopy. In the near future, new technological developments will improve the diagnostic yield of VCE and broaden its therapeutic capabilities.

Colon capsule endoscopy: What we know and what we would like to know

Colonoscopy is usually perceived as an invasive and potentially painful procedure, being also affected by a small, but definite, risk of major complications (cardiopulmonary complications, perforation, hemorrhage) and even mortality. To improve both acceptability and safety, PillCam Colon Capsule Endoscopy (CCE) (Given Imaging Ltd, Yoqneam, Israel) has been developed. CCE represents a non-invasive technique that is able to explore the colon without sedation and air insufflation. The Second Generation of Colon Capsule Endoscopy (PillCam Colon 2) (CCE-2) was proven to be an accurate tool to detect colonic neoplastic lesions when used in average risk individuals. To date, the evidence supports the use of CCE-2 in case of colonoscopy failure, in patients unwilling to perform colonoscopy and when colonoscopy is contraindicated. Other potential applications, such as colorectal cancer screening or diagnostic surveillance of inflammatory bowel disease need to be clarified. In this paper, the current “state of the art”, potential application of CCE and future needs are evaluated.

Capsule endoscopy in pediatrics: a 10-years journey

Video capsule endoscopy (CE) for evaluation the esophagus (ECE), small bowel (SBCE) and the colon (CCE) is particularly useful in pediatrics, because this imaging modality does not require ionizing radiation, deep sedation or general anesthesia. The risk of capsule retention appears to be dependent on indication rather than age and parallels the adult experience by indication, making SBCE a relatively safe procedure with a significant diagnostic yield. The newest indication, assessment of mucosal change, greatly enhances and expands its potential benefit. The diagnostic role of CE extends beyond the SB. The use of ECE also may enhance our knowledge of esophageal disease and assist patient care. Colon CCE is a novel minimally invasive and painless endoscopic technique allowing exploration of the colon without need for sedation, rectal intubation and gas insufflation. The limited data on ECE and CCE in pediatrics does not yet allow the same conclusions regarding efficacy; however, both appear to provide safe methods to assess and monitor mucosal change in their respective areas with little discomfort. Moreover, although experience has been limited, the patency capsule may help lessen the potential of capsule retention; and newly researched protocols for bowel cleaning may further enhance CE's diagnostic yield. However, further research is needed to optimize the use of the various CE procedures in pediatric populations.