Comparison between Capsule Endoscopy and Magnetic Resonance Enterography for the Detection of Polyps of the Small Intestine in Patients with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2012;2012:215028. [PMID: 22518115 PMCID: PMC3296287 DOI: 10.1155/2012/215028]

Uptake and outcomes of small intestinal and urinary tract cancer surveillance in Lynch syndrome

BACKGROUND

Lynch syndrome (LS) is a hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome associated with increased risk of multiple cancers. While colorectal cancer surveillance decreases mortality in LS and is recommended by guidelines, there is lack of evidence for the efficacy of surveillance for extra-colonic cancers associated with LS, including small intestinal cancer (SIC) and urinary tract cancer (UTC). Given the limited evidence, guidelines do not consistently recommend surveillance for SIC and UTC, and it remains unclear how often individuals will choose to undergo and follow through with extra-colonic surveillance recommendations.

AIM

To study factors associated with SIC and UTC surveillance uptake and outcomes in LS.

METHODS

This is an IRB-approved retrospective analysis of individuals with LS seen at a tertiary care referral center. Included individuals had a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, or EPCAM, or were a confirmed obligate carrier, and had at least one documented visit to our center. Information regarding SIC and UTC surveillance was captured for each individual, and detailed personal and family history was obtained for individuals who had an initial LS management visit in our center’s dedicated high-risk LS clinic between January 1, 2017 and October 29, 2020. During these initial management visits, all patients had in-depth discussions of SIC and UTC surveillance with 1 of 3 providers experienced in LS management to promote informed decision-making about whether to pursue SIC and/or UTC surveillance. Statistical analysis using Pearson’s chi-squared test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test was completed to understand the factors associated with pursuit and completion of SIC and UTC surveillance, and a P value below 0.05 was deemed statistically significant.

RESULTS

Of 317 individuals with LS, 86 (27%) underwent a total of 105 SIC surveillance examinations, with 5 leading to additional work-up and no SICs diagnosed. Additionally, 99 (31%) patients underwent a total of 303 UTC surveillance examinations, with 19 requiring further evaluation and 1 UTC identified. Of 155 individuals who had an initial LS management visit between January 1, 2017 and October 29, 2020, 63 (41%) chose to undergo SIC surveillance and 58 (37%) chose to undergo UTC surveillance. However, only 26 (41%) and 32 (55%) of those who initially chose to undergo SIC or UTC surveillance, respectively, successfully completed their surveillance examinations. Individuals with a pathogenic variant in MSH2 or EPCAM were more likely to initially choose to undergo SIC surveillance (P = 0.034), and older individuals were more likely to complete SIC surveillance (P = 0.007). Choosing to pursue UTC surveillance was more frequent among older individuals (P = 0.018), and females more frequently completed UTC surveillance (P = 0.002). Personal history of cancer and family history of SIC or UTC were not significantly associated with electing nor completing surveillance. Lastly, the provider discussing SIC/UTC surveillance was significantly associated with subsequent surveillance choices.

CONCLUSION

Pursuing and completing SIC/UTC surveillance in LS is influenced by several factors, however broad incorporation in LS management is likely unhelpful due to low yield and frequent false positive results.

The prevalence of small-bowel polyps on video capsule endoscopy in patients with sporadic duodenal or ampullary adenomas

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Although sporadic duodenal and/or ampullary adenomas (DAs) are uncommon, they are increasingly diagnosed during upper endoscopy. These patients have a 3- to 7-fold increased risk of colonic neoplasia compared with the normal population. It is unknown, however, whether they also have an increased risk of additional small-bowel (SB) polyps. Our aim was to establish the prevalence of SB polyps in patients with DA.

METHODS

In a single-center, prospective study, we used video capsule endoscopy (VCE) to investigate the prevalence of SB polyps in patients with a DA compared with patients undergoing VCE for obscure GI bleeding or iron deficiency anemia.

RESULTS

Over 25 months, 201 patients were enrolled in the study; the mean age was 65 years and 47% were male. There were 101 control patients and 100 cases of DA cases (mean size, 30 mm (range, 10-80 mm)). We did not identify any SB polyps in either group. Colonic polyps were found more frequently in the DA group compared with controls (61% versus 37%, respectively (P =.002)). Advanced colonic adenoma (high-grade dysplasia, >10 mm, villous histology) were found in 18% of the DA group and 5% of the control group (P =.018).

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that patients with a DA are not at risk for additional SB polyps and hence do not support screening with VCE. However, colonoscopy is mandatory due to the significantly higher risk of colonic polyps including advanced adenomas. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT02470416.).

Upper gastrointestinal neoplasia in familial adenomatous polyposis: prevalence, endoscopic features and management

Background

To evaluate the prevalence of upper gastrointestinal (GI) polyps in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), and to discuss current therapeutic recommendations.

Methods

Clinical, endoscopic, histological and treatment data were retrieved from charts of 102 patients [1958-2016]. Duodenal adenomatosis was classified according to Spigelman stages.

Results

this series comprised 59 women (57.8%) and 43 men (42.1%) with a median age of 32.3 years. Patients underwent 184 endoscopic procedures, the first at a median age of 35.9 years (range, 13-75 years). Fundic gastric polyps (n=31; 30.4%) prevailed in the stomach. While only 5 adenomas were found in the stomach, 33 patients (32.4%) presented duodenal ones. Advanced lesions (n=13; 12.7%) were detected in the stomach (n=2) and duodenum (n=11). During follow-up, Spigelman stages improved in 6 (12.2%) patients, remained unchanged in 25 (51.0%) and worsened in 18 (36.7%). Carcinomas were diagnosed in the stomach and duodenum (4 lesions each, 3.9%), at median ages of 50.2 and 55.0 years, respectively. Advanced lesions and carcinomas were managed through local or surgical resections. Severe complications occurred in only 2 patients (one death). Enteroscopy in 21 patients revealed jejunal adenomas in 12, 11 of whom also presented duodenal adenomas.

Conclusions

There is a high prevalence of upper GI adenomas and cancer in FAP. There were diagnosed fundic gastric polyps (30.4%), duodenal (32.4%) and jejunal adenomas (11.8%), respectively. One third of duodenal polyps progressed slowly throughout the study. The rates of advanced gastroduodenal lesions (12.7%) and cancer (7.8%) raise the need for continuous surveillance during follow-up.

Gastrointestinal diagnosis using non-white light imaging capsule endoscopy

Capsule endoscopy (CE) has proved to be a powerful tool in the diagnosis and management of small bowel disorders since its introduction in 2001. However, white light imaging (WLI) is the principal technology used in clinical CE at present, and therefore, CE is limited to mucosal inspection, with diagnosis remaining reliant on visible manifestations of disease. The introduction of WLI CE has motivated a wide range of research to improve its diagnostic capabilities through integration with other sensing modalities. These developments have the potential to overcome the limitations of WLI through enhanced detection of subtle mucosal microlesions and submucosal and/or transmural pathology, providing novel diagnostic avenues. Other research aims to utilize a range of sensors to measure physiological parameters or to discover new biomarkers to improve the sensitivity, specificity and thus the clinical utility of CE. This multidisciplinary Review summarizes research into non-WLI CE devices by organizing them into a taxonomic structure on the basis of their sensing modality. The potential of these capsules to realize clinically useful virtual biopsy and computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) is also reported.

Effect of longer battery life on small bowel capsule endoscopy

AIM: To determine if longer battery life improves capsule endoscopy (CE) completion rates.

METHODS: A retrospective study was performed at a tertiary, university-affiliated hospital in Vancouver, Canada. Patients who underwent CE with either PillCam™ SB2 or SB2U between 01/2010 and 12/2013 were considered for inclusion. SB2 and SB2U share identical physical dimensions but differ in their battery lives (8 h vs 12 h). Exclusion criteria included history of gastric or small bowel surgery, endoscopic placement of CE, interrupted view of major landmarks due to technical difficulty or significant amount of debris, and repeat CE using same system. Basic demographics, comorbidities, medications, baseline bowel habits, and previous surgeries were reviewed. Timing of major landmarks in CE were recorded, and used to calculate gastric transit time, small bowel transit time, and total recording time. A complete CE study was defined as visualization of cecum. Transit times and completion rates were compared.

RESULTS: Four hundred and eight patients, including 208 (51.0%) males, were included for analysis. The mean age was 55.5 ± 19.3 years. The most common indication for CE was gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 254, 62.3%), followed by inflammatory bowel disease (n = 86, 21.1%). There was no difference in gastric transit times (group difference 0.90, 95%CI: 0.72-1.13, P = 0.352) and small bowel transit times (group difference 1.07, 95%CI: 0.95-1.19, P = 0.261) between SB2U and SB2, but total recording time was about 14% longer in the SB2U group (95%CI: 10%-18%, P < 0.001) and there was a corresponding trend toward higher completion rate (88.2% vs 93.2%, OR = 1.78, 95%CI 0.88-3.63, P = 0.111). There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of positive findings (OR = 0.98, 95%CI: 0.64-1.51, P = 0.918).

CONCLUSION: Extending the operating time of CE may be a simple method to improve completion rate although it does not affect the rate of positive findings.

From Capsule Endoscopy to Balloon-Assisted Deep Enteroscopy: Exploring Small-Bowel Endoscopic Imaging

In the past 15 years, the use of endoscopic evaluations in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding has become more common. Indications for further endoscopic interventions include iron deficiency anemia, suspicion of Crohn's disease or small-bowel tumors, assessment of celiac disease or of ulcers induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and screening for familial adenomatous polyposis. Often, capsule endoscopy is performed in concert with other endoscopic studies and can guide decisions regarding whether enteroscopy should be carried out in an anterograde or a retrograde approach. Retrograde endoscopy is beneficial in dealing with disease of the more distal small bowel. Multiple studies have examined the diagnostic yield of balloon-assisted deep enteroscopy and have estimated a diagnostic yield of 40% to 80%. Some of the studies have found that diagnostic yields are higher when capsule endoscopy is performed before balloon-assisted deep enteroscopy in a search for small-bowel bleeds. Each of these procedures has a role when performed alone; however, research suggests that they are especially effective as complementary techniques and together can provide better-directed therapy. Both procedures are relatively safe, with high diagnostic and therapeutic yields that allow evaluation of the small bowel. Because both interventions are relatively new to the world of gastroenterology, much research remains to be done regarding their overall efficacy, cost, and safety, as well as further indications for their use in the detection and treatment of diseases of the small bowel.

The effect of chewing gum on small-bowel transit time in capsule endoscopy: a prospective, randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Approximately 1 in 6 capsule endoscopies (CEs) does not visualize the entire small bowel at completion of the examination because of limited battery life.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether chewing gum can reduce the small-bowel transit time and increase CE completion rates.

DESIGN

Prospective, single-blind, randomized, controlled trial.

SETTING

A tertiary university-affiliated hospital.

PATIENTS

Consecutive patients 19 years of age and older undergoing outpatient small-bowel CE from October 2010 to July 2012 were assessed for eligibility. Those with previous gastric or small-bowel surgery or ileostomy, dysphagia prohibiting capsule ingestion, diabetes mellitus with evidence of end-organ damage, use of narcotics or prokinetics within 5 days before the procedure, clinical hyper-/hypothyroidism, and symptoms suggestive of acute bowel obstruction were excluded.

INTERVENTION

Gum chewing for at least 20 minutes every 2 hours starting at the time of capsule ingestion.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Small-bowel transit time, gastric transit time, and completion rate were measured.

RESULTS

Chewing gum did not have any significant effect on gastric transit time (rate ratio 1.06; 95% CI, 0.73-1.55; P = .75), small-bowel transit time (rate ratio 0.91; 95% CI, 0.62-1.35; P = .65), or completion rate (91.67% chewing gum vs 88.71% control, P = .58) of CE.

LIMITATION

Single-center study involving relatively healthy subjects. Procedures were done on an outpatient basis so participants were not monitored for adherence to protocol.

CONCLUSIONS

Chewing gum does not speed up capsule transit or increase completion rate of CE in patients without risk factors for incomplete studies. (

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT01241825.).