Predictive Factors of Portal Hypertensive Enteropathy Exacerbation in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis: A Capsule Endoscopy Study

Diagnostic accuracy of magnetically guided capsule endoscopy with a detachable string for detecting oesophagogastric varices in adults with cirrhosis: prospective multicentre study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and safety of using magnetically guided capsule endoscopy with a detachable string (ds-MCE) for detecting and grading oesophagogastric varices in adults with cirrhosis.

DESIGN

Prospective multicentre diagnostic accuracy study.

SETTING

14 medical centres in China.

PARTICIPANTS

607 adults (>18 years) with cirrhosis recruited between 7 January 2021 and 25 August 2022. Participants underwent ds-MCE (index test), followed by oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD, reference test) within 48 hours. The participants were divided into development and validation cohorts in a ratio of 2:1.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcomes were the sensitivity and specificity of ds-MCE in detecting oesophagogastric varices compared with OGD. Secondary outcomes included the sensitivity and specificity of ds-MCE for detecting high risk oesophageal varices and the diagnostic accuracy of ds-MCE for detecting high risk oesophagogastric varices, oesophageal varices, and gastric varices.

RESULTS

ds-MCE and OGD examinations were completed in 582 (95.9%) of the 607 participants. Using OGD as the reference standard, ds-MCE had a sensitivity of 97.5% (95% confidence interval 95.5% to 98.7%) and specificity of 97.8% (94.4% to 99.1%) for detecting oesophagogastric varices (both P<0.001 compared with a prespecified 85% threshold). When using the optimal 18% threshold for luminal circumference of the oesophagus derived from the development cohort (n=393), the sensitivity and specificity of ds-MCE for detecting high risk oesophageal varices in the validation cohort (n=189) were 95.8% (89.7% to 98.4%) and 94.7% (88.2% to 97.7%), respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of ds-MCE for detecting high risk oesophagogastric varices, oesophageal varices, and gastric varices was 96.3% (92.6% to 98.2%), 96.9% (95.2% to 98.0%), and 96.7% (95.0% to 97.9%), respectively. Two serious adverse events occurred with OGD but none with ds-MCE.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study suggest that ds-MCE is a highly accurate and safe diagnostic tool for detecting and grading oesophagogastric varices and is a promising alternative to OGD for screening and surveillance of oesophagogastric varices in patients with cirrhosis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03748563.

Clinical features of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding undergoing capsule endoscopy: A retrospective cohort study

Background

Capsule endoscopy has been widely used to investigate obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) in the small intestine since its approval in 2001. However, the clinical features of OGIB remain unclear.

Aim

We retrospectively examined the clinical features and risk factors of OGIB in patients who underwent capsule endoscopy in our hospital.

Methods

We included 420 of the 431 patients who underwent capsule endoscopy from June 2014 to May 2021, in whom the small intestine could be observed. We retrospectively compared the clinical features and treatment of OGIB cases, with or without active small bowel bleeding (n = 173), with other cases (n = 247). Patient sex, age, diabetes mellitus, and heart failure histories were matched for the analysis.

Results

The male/female ratio was 247/173 and the average age was 51.54 years. In multivariate analysis, the use of direct oral anticoagulants was significant (P = 0.016), and vascular lesions (P = 0.018) were observed in OGIB cases. When OGIB cases with and without active small bowel bleeding were compared, serum albumin level was lower in cases with active bleeding (P = 0.031). When treatment of OGIB cases were compared, those without vascular lesions could be treated conservatively (P = 0.0047). In the 1:1 propensity score matching analysis, serum creatinine level was elevated in cases of active bleeding (P = 0.029), and cases without vascular lesions were treated conservatively (P = 0.010).

Conclusions

Use of direct oral anticoagulants is frequently associated with OGIB. OGIB patients without vascular lesions may be treated conservatively.

The Role of Video Capsule Endoscopy in Liver Disease

In the setting of chronic liver disease, capsule endoscopy is safe and well tolerated, making it an appealing diagnostic procedure. It is used mainly for the surveillance of esophageal varices, investigation of anemia, and exploration of the small bowel for complications of portal hypertension. Capsule endoscopy is recognized as a viable alternative in patients unable or unwilling to undergo upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for investigations of esophageal varices. In evaluating the small bowel of patients with liver disease and unexplained anemia, capsule endoscopy increases recognition of mucosal abnormalities, although their clinical significance is often unclear.

Management of occult obscure gastrointestinal bleeding patients based on long-term outcomes

BACKGROUND

There is no consensus regarding the management of occult obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) patients without a confirmed bleeding source. This study aimed to consider the management of occult OGIB patients based on their long-term outcomes.

METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled 357 consecutive occult OGIB patients (203 men; mean age: 59.7 years) who underwent capsule endoscopy (CE) at Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan and were followed up for more than 12 months (mean follow-up period; 50.2 months). Patients were divided into three groups as follows: Group A consisted of 98 of 157 patients who had positive findings and indication for treatment, Group B consisted of 59 of 157 patients who had positive findings but no indication for treatment, and Group C consisted of 200 patients who had negative small-bowel findings. We examined the rate of positive CE findings, detection rate and details of bleeding sources, overt bleeding rate, the rate of anemia exacerbation, 5-year anemia exacerbation rate, and overall survival rate.

RESULTS

The positive CE findings rate was 44% (157/357) and detection rate of bleeding source was 27% (98/357). The details of Group A were as follows: angioectasia (n = 61), nonspecific ulceration (n = 10), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced ulcer (n = 8), and others (n = 19). The details of Group B were as follows: erythema (n = 31), angioectasia (n = 25), and others (n = 3). There were no patients with overt bleeding in Group B. Although six patients had anemia exacerbation in Group B, they had angioectasia without a bleeding source.

CONCLUSION

The long-term outcomes of occult OGIB patients were good. Occult OGIB patients without bleeding source lesions may not require follow-up CE.