Comparison of the diagnostic yield and outcomes between standard 8 h capsule endoscopy and the new 12 h capsule endoscopy for investigating small bowel pathology

Smart pills for gastrointestinal diagnostics and therapy

Ingestible smart pills have the potential to be a powerful clinical tool in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disease. Though examples of this technology, such as capsule endoscopy, have been successfully translated from the lab into clinically used products, there are still numerous challenges that need to be overcome. This review gives an overview of the research being done in the area of ingestible smart pills and reports on the technical challenges in this field.

Adverse events of video capsule endoscopy over the past two decades: a systematic review and proportion meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A full spectrum of video capsule endoscopy (VCE) adverse events over the past two decades has not been evaluated. We aimed to determine pooled rates, predictors and temporal-trend of VCE adverse events over the past two decades.

METHODS

Systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE for English-language publications reporting VCE adverse events (January 1, 2000 to March 31, 2019). Data were extracted independently by two investigators. Pooled VCE adverse event rates were calculated using the random or fixed model as appropriate. Predictors and temporal-trend of each adverse event were performed by meta-regression analyses.

RESULTS

In total, 402 studies were identified, including 108,079 VCE procedures. Rate of retention, swallow disorder, aspiration, technical failure, and procedural adverse events were 0.73% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.89%), 0.75% (95% CI 0.43-1.13%), 0.00% (95% CI 0.00-0.00%), 0.94% (95% CI 0.65-1.28%), 0.67% (95% CI 0.32-1.10%), respectively; incomplete examination rate of esophagus, stomach, small bowel, and colon were 9.05%, 7.69%, 12.08%, 19.19%, respectively. Patency capsule reduced retention rate by 5.04%, whereas known inflammatory bowel disease increased retention rate by 4.29%. Elder was the risk and protective factor for small bowel incomplete examination (0.30%) and swallow disorder (- 0.72%), respectively. Rates of retention and small bowel incomplete examination significantly declined over time (P = .0006 and P < .0001)..

CONCLUSIONS

VCE adverse event rates were generally low, and retention and small bowel incomplete examination rates declined over the past two decades. Patients with known inflammatory bowel disease or elder should be alerted to high risk of retention or small bowel incomplete examination (PROSPERO: CRD42019139595).

What is the role of small bowel capsule endoscopy in established coeliac disease?

INTRODUCTION

Patients with established coeliac disease (CD) can present with signs and symptoms requiring small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) to assess for persistent disease beyond the duodenum and to rule out complications. There is paucity of data on extent of disease on SBCE in relation to histology, clinical and serological parameters. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between symptoms, CD serology and Marsh classification of disease and extent of disease on SBCE in patients with established CD.

METHODS

Hundred patients with established CD and 200 controls underwent a SBCE. SBCEs were reviewed by expert reviewers. Extent of disease on SBCE, CD findings and small bowel transit were recorded.

RESULTS

Considering duodenal histology (D2; Marsh 3a or above) as the gold standard for diagnosing CD activity, the sensitivity of SBCE to delineate active disease was 87.2%. The specificity was 89.0%. Age at SBCE (P=0.006), albumin (P=0.004) and haemoglobin (P=0.0001), Marsh score of histology from the duodenal bulb (D1) (P=0.0001) and the second part of the duodenum (P=0.0001), refractory CD (P=0.007) on histology correlated with extent of affected small bowel (SB) mucosa on univariate analysis. On multiple regression analysis, albumin (P=0.036) and Marsh score of histology (D1) (P=0.019), vitamin B12 (P=0.001) and folate levels (P=0.008) were statistically significant. Extent of affected SB mucosa (11.0% vs 1.35%) was greater in patients with complications including those with refractory CD (P=0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study showing correlation between extent of disease and severity of duodenal histology, markers of malabsorption such as folate levels and vitamin B12 and complications of CD.

Capsule endoscopy for small-intestinal disorders: Current status

Small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is used widely because of its non-invasive and patient-friendly nature. SBCE can visualize entire small-intestinal mucosa and facilitate detection of small-intestinal abnormalities. In this review article, we focus on the current status of SBCE. Several platforms for SBCE are available worldwide. Third-generation SBCE (PillCam^® SB3) has a high-resolution camera equipped with an adaptive frame rate system. Several software modes have been developed to reduce the reading time for capsule endoscopy and to minimize the possibility of missing lesions. The main complication of SBCE is capsule retention. Thus, the main contraindication for SBCE is known or suspected gastrointestinal obstruction unless intestinal patency is proven. Possible indications for SBCE are obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, Crohn's disease, small-intestinal polyps and tumors, and celiac disease. Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) can observe inflamed colonic mucosa non-invasively, and allows for the continuous and non-invasive observation of the entire intestinal tract (pan-endoscopy). Recently, application of CCE as pan-enteric endoscopy for inflammatory bowel diseases (including Crohn's disease) has been reported. In the near future, reading for CE will be assisted by artificial intelligence, and reading CE videos for long periods will not be required.

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.

PillCam SB3 vs. PillCam SB2: Can technologic advances in capsule endoscopy improve diagnostic yield in patients with small bowel bleeding?

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

The SB3 capsule endoscopy system has better image resolution and the capacity to increase the number of images from 2 to 6 frames per second. Small bowel bleeding is the most common indication. The aim To determine if the advances in capsule endoscopy technology increase diagnostic yield in cases of small bowel bleeding, according to the Saurin classification.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective, observational, analytic, cross-sectional study included 100 SB2 capsule endoscopies and 100 SB3 capsule endoscopies in patients that presented with small bowel bleeding. The findings obtained with both systems were evaluated. The lesions identified by the two capsules were categorized using the Saurin classification. The relation between the lesions identified with the SB3 and those found with the SB2 was identified through a logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

In the SB2 capsule endoscopy group, 60% were women, patient age was 59 years (42.2, 73), and intestinal transit time was 271min (182, 353). In the SB3 group, 57% were women, patient age was 60 years (42.5, 73), and intestinal transit time was 277min (182, 352). There were no significant differences in the identification of P0 and P2 lesions between the two systems. The SB3 capsule endoscope identified more P1 lesions (p=0.020, OR: 2.35, 95% CI:1.12-4.90). There was no significant difference in relation to location of the lesions in the small bowel.

CONCLUSIONS

A greater number of P1 lesions were detected through the technologic advances made in SB3 capsule endoscopy, but the diagnostic yield for P2 lesions was not modified.

No significant difference in clinically relevant findings between Pillcam® SB3 and Pillcam® SB2 capsules in a United States veteran population

BACKGROUND

Capsule endoscopy (CE) allows for a non-invasive small bowel evaluation for a wide range of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and diseases. Capsule technology has been rapidly advancing over recent years, often improving image frequency and quality. The Pillcam^® SB3 (SB3) capsule is one such technology that offers an adaptive frame rate advantage over the previous versions of the capsule the Pillcam^® SB2 (SB2). Some have proposed that this improvement in capsule technology may lead to increased diagnostic yields; however, real world clinical data is currently lacking.

AIM

To evaluate the clinically relevant findings of SB3 and SB2 capsules in a population of United States veterans.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 260 consecutive CE studies was performed including 130 SB3 and 130 SB2 capsule studies. Recorded variables included: age, gender, type of capsule, body mass index, exam completion, inpatient status, opioid use, diabetes, quality of preparation, gastric transit time, small bowel transit time, indication, finding, and if the exam resulted in a change in clinical management. The primary outcome measured was the detection of clinically relevant findings between SB3 and SB2 capsules.

RESULTS

Mean age of the study population was 67.1 ± 10.4 years and 94.2% of patients were male. Of these 28.1% were on opioid users. The most common indications for capsule procedure were occult GI bleeding (74.6%) and overt GI bleeding (14.6%). Rates of incomplete exam were similar between SB3 and SB2 groups (16.9% vs 9.2%, P = 0.066). The overall rate of clinically relevant finding was 48.9% in our study. No significant difference was observed in SB3 vs SB2 capsules for clinically relevant findings (46.2% vs 51.5%, P = 0.385) or change in clinical management (40.8% vs 50.0%, P = 0.135).

CONCLUSION

Our study found no significant difference in clinically relevant findings between SB3 and SB2 capsules.

Capsule endoscopy with PillCamSB2 versus PillCamSB3: has the improvement in technology resulted in a step forward?

AIM

To compare the findings and completion rate of PillCam® SB2 and SB3.

METHODS

This was a retrospective single-center study that included 357 consecutive small bowel capsule endoscopies (SBCE), 173 SB2 and 184 SB3. The data collected included age, gender, capsule type (PillCam® SB2 or SB3), quality of bowel preparation, completion of the examination, gastric and small bowel transit time, small bowel findings, findings in segments other than the small bowel and the detection of specific anatomical markers, such as the Z line and papilla.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 48 years and 66.9% were female. The two main indications were suspicion/staging of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) (43.7% and 40.3%, respectively). Endoscopic findings were reported in 76.2% of examinations and 53.5% were relevant findings. No significant differences were found between SB2 and SB3 with regard to completion rate (93.6% vs 96.2%, p = 0.27), overall endoscopic findings (73.4% vs 78.8%, p = 0.23), relevant findings (54.3% vs 52.7%, p = 0.76), first tertile findings (43.9% vs 48.9%, p = 0.35), extra-SB findings (23.7% vs 17.3%, p = 0.14), Z line and papilla detection rate (35.9% vs 35.7%, p = 0.97 and 27.1% vs 32.6%, p = 0.32, respectively). With regard to the patient subgroups with suspicion/staging of IBD, significant differences were found in relation to the detection of villous edema and the 3rd tertile findings, thus favoring SB3 (26.3% vs 43.8%, p = 0.02 and 47.4% vs 66.3%, p = 0.02, respectively). Mucosal atrophy was significantly more frequently diagnosed with the PillCam® SB3 in patients with anemia/OGIB (0% vs 8%, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, PillCam® SB3 did not improve the diagnostic yield compared to SB2, although it improved the detection of villous atrophy and segmental edema.

Impact of magnetic steering on gastric transit time of a capsule endoscopy (with video)

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS

Delayed gastric transit of the capsule may lead to incomplete small bowel examination, reducing the diagnostic yield. Thus, this study was designed to determine if magnetic steering could enhance capsule gastric emptying and mucosal visualization within the duodenum.

METHODS

The intervention group comprised 100 patients undergoing magnetic-controlled capsule endoscopy between May to September 2017 in whom magnetic control was used to assist transpyloric passage of the capsule and duodenal inspection. A cohort of 100 patients who had undergone the procedure before May 2017 was randomly selected from the database as an historic control group in whom transpyloric movement of the capsule occurred spontaneously (without magnetic assistance). The difference in the pyloric transit time (PTT) and duodenal papilla detection rate (DPDR) between the 2 groups were compared, and related factors were also investigated.

RESULTS

Transpyloric passage of the capsule under magnetic control was successfully performed in 59 patients (59%). Median PTT was greatly reduced in the intervention group from 58.38 minutes (range, 13.45-87.47) to 4.69 minutes (range, 1.56-55.00; P < .001), and DPDR was also greatly improved with magnetic steering (30.5% vs 9%, P < .001). Magnetic steering, male gender, and higher body mass index were independently associated with reduced gastric transit time and magnetic steering with an enhanced DPDR.

CONCLUSIONS

Magnetic steering of the capsule can enhance gastric emptying of the capsule and may prove useful in nonobese and female patients who appeared to have longer gastric transit time and achieved a better DPDR than that under the action of peristalsis alone. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT03441945.).

What defines quality in small bowel capsule endoscopy

Small bowel capsule endoscopy is considered a first-line diagnostic tool for the investigation of small bowel diseases. Gastroenterological and endoscopic societies have proposed and established measures known as quality indicators, quality measures or performance measures for the majority of endoscopic procedures, in order to ensure competence, healthcare quality and define areas requiring improvement. However, there is a paucity of publications describing small bowel capsule endoscopy quality indicators. Hereby, we attempt to identify and describe a number of pre-procedure, intra-procedure and post-procedure quality indicators, regarding process measures in small bowel capsule endoscopy, after a comprehensive review of the literature.

Sham Feeding with Bacon Does Not Alter Transit Time or Complete Examination Rate During Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy

BACKGROUND

During capsule endoscopy (CE) studies, the complete examination rate (CER) can be increased by prolonging capsule battery life or reducing gastric transit time (GTT) and/or small bowel transit time (SBTT). However, despite enhanced battery life, 10% of studies remain incomplete. Previously studied interventions to reduce SBTT and enhance CER have produced conflicting results. We hypothesize that this may be a consequence of an insufficiently potent stimulus of small bowel motility.

AIMS

To examine whether potent stimulation of the cephalic response of digestion during small bowel CE reduces GTT and/or SBTT and thus increases the CER.

METHODS

A single-blind randomized trial was performed to evaluate the effect of bacon sham feeding on GTT, SBTT and CER.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics were similar between 63 sham fed patients and 59 controls. The median GTT was 17 min (9-65) in the bacon group and 25 min (14-55) in the control group. The median SBTT was 199 min (119-316) and 222 min (151-287), respectively. Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated no significant difference between groups for GTT (rate ratio 1.03, 95% CI 0.71-1.51, P = 0.87) or SBTT (rate ratio 1.02, 95% CI 0.70-1.49, P = 0.93). Although the taste of bacon was considered favorably by 72% of participants, taste did not correlate with GTT (ρ = 0.03, P = 0.83) or SBTT (ρ = - 0.115, P = 0.33). The CER was 91 and 95% in the bacon and control groups, respectively (P = 0.35).

CONCLUSION

Bacon sham feeding has no effect on GTT, SBTT or CER and cannot be recommended in clinical practice.

The impact of hospitalization on the performance of capsule endoscopy (CE)

BACKGROUND

For proper evaluation of capsule endoscopy (CE), a complete examination is necessary.

AIM

We evaluated risk factors of an incomplete CE with focus on patient hospitalization.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 161 consecutive patients who underwent CE between 01.07.2013 and 13.03.2016. Main indications were active bleeding, iron deficiency anemia (IDA), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), abdominal pain, and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

RESULTS

We report the results of 103 in-patients and 56 out-patients. Eighty-two patients were male, average age was 58.9 years (range 18-90). Indications for CE were active bleeding (103 patients), IDA and IBD (16 patients), and FAP, abdominal pain and others (eight examinations each). All FAP patients were out-patients, but showed the longest small bowel transit time (SBTT) of 443.6min (p=0.0001). The shortest SBTT was found in out-patients without FAP (267.5min, p<0.05). In the in-patient group, nine endoscopies did not record the entire small bowel (8.7%) due to battery depletion, compared with only one incomplete examination in the out-patients (1.8%, p=0.036). We found pathologic lesions in the last 30min of the SBTT in 43 patients, and this indicates the necessity for complete examination. Thirteen of these 43 patients showed major lesions such as ulcers or angiodysplasia in this last region alone.

CONCLUSION

In-patients might require special treatment to ensure complete examination, since a considerable amount of pathologies can only be found in the ileum.

Small-bowel capsule endoscopy with panoramic view: results of the first multicenter, observational study (with videos)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The first small-bowel video-capsule endoscopy (VCE) with 360° panoramic view has been developed recently. This new capsule has wire-free technology, 4 high-frame-rate cameras, and a long-lasting battery life. The aim of the present study was to assess the performance and safety profile of the 360° panoramic-view capsule in a large series of patients from a multicenter clinical practice setting.

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing a 360° panoramic-view capsule procedure in 7 European Institutions between January 2011 and November 2015 were included. Both technical (ie, technical failures, completion rate) and clinical (ie, indication, findings, retention rate) data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire. VCE findings were classified according to the likelihood of explaining the reason for referral: P0, low; P1, intermediate; P2, high.

RESULTS

Of the 172 patients (94 men; median age, 68 years; interquartile range, 53-75), 142 underwent VCE for obscure (32 overt, 110 occult) GI bleeding (OGIB), and 28 for suspected (17) or established (2) Crohn's disease (CD). Overall, 560 findings were detected; 252 were classified as P2. The overall diagnostic yield was 40.1%; 42.2% and 30.0% in patients with OGIB and CD, respectively. The rate of complete enteroscopy was 90.2%. All patients but one, who experienced capsule retention (1/172, 0.6%), excreted and retrieved the capsule. VCE failure occurred in 4 of 172 (2.3%) patients because of technical problems.

CONCLUSIONS

This multicenter study, conducted in the clinical practice setting and based on a large consecutive series of patients, showed that the diagnostic yield and safety profile of the 360° panoramic-view capsule are similar to those of forward-view VCEs.

Video Capsule Endoscopy: Technology, Reading, and Troubleshooting

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) has completed the endoscopic visualization of the entire luminal gastrointestinal tract. VCE can be performed in inpatients and outpatients, requires appropriate bowel preparation before the study, and can be administered via oral swallowing or endoscopic device placement into the small bowel based on outlined patient-dependent factors. Current commercially available VCE systems were reviewed and compared for individual features and attributes. This article focuses on preparation for VCE, currently available VCE technology, how to read a VCE study, and risks and contraindications to VCE.

Contraindications for video capsule endoscopy

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) has been applied in the last 15 years in an increasing field of applications. Although many contraindications have been put into perspective, some precautions still have to be considered. Known stenosis of the gastrointestinal tract is a clear contraindication for VCE unless surgery is already scheduled or at least has been considered as an optional treatment modality. In patients with a higher incidence of stenosis, as in an established diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, clinical signs of obstruction, prior radiation or surgical small bowel resection, a preceding test with the self-dissolving patency capsule can override this contraindication. Endoscopic placement of the capsule should be considered in patients with swallowing disorders to avoid aspiration. Esophageal or gastric motility disorders may require endoscopic capsule transport or application of prokinetics if the real-time viewer proofs delayed transit. In pregnant women, VCE should be restricted to urgent cases where diagnosis cannot be postponed after delivery, as data on safety are missing. There is theoretical and clinical evidence that patients with implanted cardiac devices such as a pacemaker, cardioverters or left heart assist devices, can safely undergo VCE in spite of still existing contraindication by manufacturers. Children from the age of 2 years have safely undergone VCE. Although video capsules are not proven safe with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), first single cases of patients incidentally undergoing MRI with an incorporated capsule have been reported, showing susceptibility artifacts but no signs of clinical harm.

The role of small bowel capsule endoscopy and ileocolonoscopy in patients with nonspecific but suggestive symptoms of Crohn's disease

OBJECTIVES

Ileocolonoscopy (IC) and small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) are essential tools in the investigation of suspected small bowel Crohn's disease (CD). Overutilization of SBCE should be avoided as it leads to unwanted healthcare expenses; thus, it is recommended when IC is normal and CD is still highly suspected. Our aim was to compare the role of SBCE and IC in the investigation of suspected CD irrespective of its location and assess the additional diagnostic benefit of SBCE over IC.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of 91 patients with chronic abdominal pain and/or diarrhea. All patients were evaluated with both colonoscopy (with terminal ileum intubation where possible) and SBCE. The severity of inflammation on SBCE was assessed using the Lewis Score. Endoscopic findings were analyzed toward CD diagnosis.

RESULTS

The sensitivity of IC and SBCE in the diagnosis of either small bowel or colonic CD was 81.82 and 63.64%, whereas the specificity was 77.50 and 92.50%, respectively. Positive and negative predictive value was 33.33 and 96.88% for IC, as well as 53.85 and 94.87% for SBCE. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.797 for IC and 0.781 for SBCE. IC was superior to SBCE in diagnosing small and large bowel CD. SBCE showed the true extent of CD in one patient missed by IC. It identified lesions suggestive of CD in three patients with normal IC, one of whom was finally diagnosed with CD.

CONCLUSION

IC should be the initial diagnostic test in patients with nonspecific, but suggestive symptoms of CD. SBCE offers additional information on small bowel mucosa and disease extent.

Small Bowel Endoscopy

OPINION STATEMENT

The small bowel is a challenging area for endoscopic evaluation and therapy due to its length and angulated configuration. A small lumen diameter and segmental peristalsis made it a perfect fit for examination by a novel ingestible wireless camera in a capsule. The development of capsule endoscopy changed the diagnosis and management of bleeding lesions, ulcers, and tumors deep in the small bowel, allowing earlier diagnosis with excellent patient acceptance. Device-assisted enteroscopy revolutionized small bowel therapy, particularly management of bleeding, Peutz-Jeghers polyposis, and tumor marking for minimally invasive surgery. Small bowel stricture dilation in select patients is safe and effective. Tools for a spectrum of small bowel therapies are available but remain suboptimal to tackle lesions on angulated folds deep in the small bowel. Universal terminology to describe the endoscopic appearance of vascular lesions will facilitate studies of endoscopic and medical therapy. The future holds improvements in imaging, easier advancement through the small bowel, and therapeutic capacity. This review focuses on methods of small bowel endoscopy, therapy, and outcomes.

PillCam® SB3 capsule: Does the increased frame rate eliminate the risk of missing lesions?

Since its emergence in 2000, small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) has assumed a pivotal role as an investigation method for small bowel diseases. The PillCam^® SB2-ex offers 12 h of battery time, 4 more than the previous version (SB2). Rahman et al recently found that the PillCam^® SB2-ex has a significantly increased completion rate, although without higher diagnostic yield, compared with the SB2. We would like to discuss these somewhat surprising results and the new potentialities of the PillCam^® SB3 regarding the diagnostic yield of small bowel studies. PillCam^® SB3 offers improved image resolution and faster adaptable frame rate over previous versions of SBCE. We recently compared the major duodenal papilla detection rate obtained with PillCam^® SB3 and SB2 as a surrogate indicator of diagnostic yield in the proximal small bowel. The PillCam^® SB3 had a significantly higher major duodenal papilla detection rate than the PillCam^® SB2 (42.7% vs 24%, P = 0.015). Thus, the most recent version of the PillCam^® capsule, SB3, may increase diagnostic yield, particularly in the proximal segments of the small bowel.