The Effect of Prucalopride on Small Bowel Transit Time in Hospitalized Patients Undergoing Capsule Endoscopy

Use of prokinetic agents in hospitalised adult patients: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal motility is important for adequate uptake of fluids and nutrition but is often impaired in hospitalised patients. Prokinetic agents enhance gastrointestinal motility and are prescribed for many hospitalised patients. In this scoping review, we aimed to systematically describe the body of evidence on the use of prokinetic agents in hospitalised patients. We hypothesised, that the body of evidence would be limited and derive from heterogeneous populations.

METHODS

We conducted this scoping review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews statement. We searched Medline, Embase, Epistemonikos and the Cochrane Library for studies assessing the use of prokinetic agents on any indication and outcome in adult hospitalised patients. We used a modified version of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) to assess the certainty of evidence.

RESULTS

We included 102 studies with a total of 8830 patients. Eighty-six studies were clinical trials (84%), and 52 (60%) of these were conducted in the intensive care unit, with feeding intolerance as the main indication. In the non-intensive care setting the indications were wider; most studies assessed use of prokinetic agents before gastroscopy to improve visualisation. The most studied prokinetic agent was metoclopramide (49% of studies) followed by erythromycin (31%). In total 147 outcomes were assessed with only 67% of the included studies assessing patient-centred outcomes, and with gastric emptying as the most frequently reported outcome. Overall, the data provided no firm evidence on the balance between the desirable and undesirable effects of prokinetic agents.

CONCLUSIONS

In this scoping review, we found that the studies addressing prokinetic agents in hospitalised adults had considerable variations in indications, drugs and outcomes assessed, and that the certainty of evidence was judged to be low to very low.

Neurological disorders and small bowel dysmotility

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Small bowel dysmotility is common in the context of neurological disorders. Overlooking it can have an adverse impact on patient's quality of life and neurological outcomes. This review focuses on describing the mechanisms and effects of enteric dysmotility in neurological patients and providing treatment options.

RECENT FINDINGS

Small bowel dysmotility is prevalent among neurological patients. The definition and diagnosis of small bowel dysmotility is a challenge; however, up to two-thirds of neurological patients may experience associated symptoms. Small bowel dysmotility can affect the absorption of nutrients and medication, impacts on social and professional function and can result in malnutrition and its associated morbidity and mortality.

SUMMARY

Small bowel dysmotility due to a neuropathy can result from acute or chronic disorders in the central and peripheral nervous system and includes the cerebral cortex, brain stem, spinal cord, parasympathetic (vagus) and sympathetic nerves and the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the intestine. Generalized muscle disorders can also cause an enteral myopathy. Generally, the disorders may be degenerative or inflammatory. Both enteric neuropathy and myopathy may cause symptoms of abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea and can cause malnutrition. The symptoms need to be addressed in order of importance to the patient and malnutrition prevented or treated.

Lavage, Simethicone, and Prokinetics-What to Swallow with a Video Capsule

The development of new capsules now allows endoscopic diagnosis in all segments of the gastrointestinal tract and comes with new needs for differentiated preparation regimens. Although the literature is steadily increasing, the results of the conducted trials on preparation are sometimes conflicting. The ingestion of simethicone before gastric and small bowel capsule endoscopy for prevention of air bubbles is established. The value of a lavage before small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is recommended, although not supported by all studies. Ingestion in the morning before the procedure seems useful for the improvement of mucosa visualization. Lavage after swallowing of the capsule seems to improve image quality, and in some studies also diagnostic yield. Prokinetics has been used with first generation capsules to shorten gastric transit time and increase the rate of complete small bowel visualization. With the massively prolonged battery capacity of the new generation small bowel capsules, prokinetics are only necessary in significantly delayed gastric emptying as documented by a real-time viewer. Lavage is crucial for an effective colon capsule or pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy. Mainly high or low volume polyethylene glycol (PEG) is used. Apart from achieving optimal cleanliness, propulsion of the capsule by ingested boosts is required to obtain a complete passage through the colon within the battery lifetime. Boosts with low volume sodium picosulfate (NaP) or diatrizoate (gastrografin) seem most effective, but potentially have more side effects than PEG. Future research is needed for more patient friendly but effective preparations, especially for colon capsule and pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy.

Can we predict an incomplete capsule endoscopy? Results of a multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) does not reach the cecum within the battery lifetime in approximately 15-35% of patients. Incomplete examinations result in diagnostic delays and increase the economic burden. To date, risk factors for incomplete examinations have been described with contradictory results. The aims of this study were to analyze rate and identify risk factors for incomplete examinations, excluding capsule retentions, in a large cohort of patients.

METHODS

Data from 1894 consecutive SBCE examinations performed from January 2009 to December 2015 were analyzed. Variables recorded included demographics, past medical and surgical history, biochemical parameters and procedure characteristics. The rate of incomplete examinations, excluding capsule retentions, was calculated and a multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model was performed in order to evaluate predictive factors.

RESULTS

The incidence of incomplete examinations, excluding capsule retentions, was 10.1% (187 incomplete procedures). The multivariate analysis showed that age >65 years, gastric transit time >41 minutes and SB transit time >286 minutes are predictive factors for incomplete examinations, increasing the probability of this event by 199% (OR:1.99; CI95%:1.34-2.95), 260% (OR:2.60; CI95%:1.72-3.93) and 352% (OR:3.52; CI95%:2.26-5.48), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Age >65 years, gastric transit time >41 minutes and SB transit time >286 minutes are predicting factors for incomplete examinations excluding capsule retentions. Both age and gastric transit time events are known before procedure ending. Therefore, pharmacologic or endoscopic measures may be taken into account to avoid incomplete examinations.

Preparation, Timing, Prokinetics, and Surface Agents in Video Capsule Endoscopy

There is a trend in data to support active preparation for video capsule endoscopy (VCE), but the timing of this remains unclear. Split dosing may be the most efficacious preparation. Study methodology continues to evolve, with increased use of standardized scales, with the addition of diagnostic yield as an outcome. The use of adjuncts has not been detrimental, but their value has not been proved to improve outcomes of VCE.

Gastrointestinal dysfunction in the synucleinopathies

Interest in gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease has blossomed over the past 30 years and has generated a wealth of investigation into this non-motor aspect of the disorder, research that has encompassed its pathophysiology, its clinical features, and its impact on quality of life. The question of gastrointestinal dysfunction in the other synucleinopathies has not received nearly as much attention, but information and knowledge are growing. In this review, the current knowledge, controversies, and gaps in our understanding of the pathophysiology of gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease and the other synucleinopathies will be addressed, and extended focus will be directed toward the clinical problems involving saliva management, swallowing, gastric emptying, small intestinal function, and bowel function that are so problematic in these disorders.

The impact of inpatient capsule endoscopy on the need for therapeutic interventions in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND/AIM

There are limited data evaluating the impact of inpatient video capsule endoscopy (VCE) on the need for therapeutic interventions in hospitalized patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). The objective of this study was to determine the impact of inpatient VCE on the need for therapeutic interventions and rehospitalization for recurrent bleeding.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Hospitalized patients who underwent VCE for OGIB indication were retrospectively included. Clinical data were collected including therapeutic interventions performed after VCE. Specific therapeutic interventions were defined as the medical, endoscopic, or surgical treatment directly targeting the cause of OGIB. Patients were followed up to determine the rate of rehospitalization.

RESULTS

A total of 48 inpatient VCE were identified, of which 43 VCE were performed for OGIB indication and were included for analysis. The completion rate and the diagnostic yield were 78.5% and 55.8%, respectively. Subsequent specific therapeutic interventions were performed in 65.2% and 5.8% of patients with positive and negative VCE, respectively (P < 0.001). After a median follow up of 30 months (minimum 12, maximum 58), rehospitalization for recurrent bleeding occurred in 30.4% and 17% of patients with positive and negative VCE, respectively. Patients with angiodysplasia on VCE were significantly more likely to be readmitted (P = 0.02). Throughout the course of the follow-up, only 2 (11.7%) patients with negative VCE underwent specific therapeutic interventions.

CONCLUSION

Inpatient VCE is an effective tool to identify patients who need specific therapeutic interventions. Patients with negative VCE are unlikely to be readmitted or require specific therapeutic interventions in the index admission.