Celiac Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Celiac Disease, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, causes, diet.

Capsule endoscopy changes patient management in routine clinical practice.

Sidhu R, Sanders DS, Kapur K, Hurlstone DP, McAlindon ME

Gastroenterology & Liver Unit, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2JF, United Kingdom. reena_sidhu@yahoo.com

Our objective was to evaluate the diagnostic yield and effect of capsule endoscopy on patient management in routine clinical practice. Three hundred examinations were performed (176 females; mean age, 51 years), with a median follow-up of 17 months. Indications included overt bleeding (n=55), anemia (n=104), suspected Crohn's disease (n=68), celiac disease (n=35), suspected functional symptoms (n=23), polyposis (n=5), and miscellaneous (n=10). The overall diagnostic yield was 39%, but it was notably higher in overt bleeders, 66%, compared to 46% in the anemia group (P<0.025), 32% in the suspected Crohn's group (P<0.001), and 17% in the functional group (P<0.001). As a result of capsule endoscopy, management was altered in 26% of patients. This study shows that capsule endoscopy has both a high diagnostic yield and an impact on subsequent patient management. These data further support the role of capsule endoscopy in routine clinical practice.

Published 18 April 2007 in Dig Dis Sci, 52(5): 1382-6.
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