The Spectrum of Small Intestinal Lesions in Patients with Unexplained Iron Deficiency Anemia Detected by Video Capsule Endoscopy

Diagnostic Yield of Small Bowel Videocapsule Endoscopy in Patients with Iron Deficiency Anemia. A Systematic Review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding or malabsorption represents the most frequent aetiologies of iron deficiency anemia (IDA). The cause of IDA remains undetermined in ~10% to 20% of patients undergoing upper and lower GI endoscopies. In this scenario, a small bowel examination with videocapsule endoscopy (VCE) is recommended. We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic yield of VCE in patients with IDA without overt bleeding, assessing the prevalence of either any lesion or lesions at high potential of bleeding.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A computerized literature search was performed using relevant keywords to identify all the pertinent articles published until March 2023.

RESULTS

Twelve studies with a total of 1703 IDA patients (Males: 47%; age range: 19-92 y) were included in this systematic review. The diagnostic yield of VCE for overall lesions in the small bowel was 61% (95% CI=44-77; 95 CI=97.2-98.1; I2=97.7%). When analyzing only small bowel lesions likely responsible of IDA, the diagnostic yield was 40% (95% CI=27-53; 95% CI=95.3-97; I2=96.3%).

CONCLUSION

VCE plays a relevant role in the diagnostic work-up of patients with IDA without overt bleeding with a satisfactory diagnostic yield.

Small bowel lesions in patients with iron deficiency anaemia without overt bleeding: a multicentre study

The diagnostic work-up in iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) patients can be challenging when bleedings or malabsorption are not clinically manifest. Lesions on the small bowel mucosa may cause IDA. We evaluated the prevalence of lesions on the small bowel mucosa detected at Videocapsule Endoscopy (VCE) in IDA patients following negative upper and lower endoscopies. Clinical and endoscopic data collected in 5 centres were retrieved. Lesions with a high bleeding potential (P2) were computed, and predictive factors investigated at multivariate analysis. By considering data of 230 patients, the endoscopic examination detected a total of 96 (41.7%; 95% CI: 35.4-48.1) P2 lesions on the small bowel mucosa, including 4 (1.7%) cancers. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was found to be the only associated factor at both univariate (OR: 5.7, 95% CI: 2.4-13.4; P <0.001) and multivariate (OR: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.7-3.9, P <0.01) analyses. Present study showed that evaluation of small bowel mucosa with VCE allows to disclose a potential cause of IDA in near half patients. The cooperation between haematologists and gastroenterologists in the diagnostic work-up may be useful.

Small Intestinal Polyp Burden in Pediatric Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome Assessed through Capsule Endoscopy: A Longitudinal Study

The management of pediatric Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome (PJS) focuses on the prevention of intussusception complicating small intestinal (SI) polyposis. This hinges on the accurate appraisal of the polyp burden to tailor therapeutic interventions. Video Capsule Endoscopy (VCE) is an established tool to study SI polyps in children, but an in-depth characterization of polyp burden in this population is lacking. Methods: We performed a retrospective longitudinal cross-sectional analysis of VCE studies in pediatric PJS patients at our institution (CMKC) from 2010 to 2020. Demographic, clinical, and VCE findings reported by three reviewers in tandem were accrued. Polyp burden variables were modeled as functions of patient and study characteristics using linear mixed models adjusted for clustering. Results: The cohort included 15 patients. The total small bowel polyp count and largest polyp size clustered under 30 polyps and <20 mm in size. Luminal occlusion correlated closely with the estimated polyp size. Polyp distribution favored proximal (77%) over distal (66%) small bowel involvement. The adjusted largest polyp size was greater in males. Double Balloon Enteroscopy was associated with a decreased polyp burden. Conclusions: The polyp burden in pediatric PJS patients favors the proximal third of the small intestine, with relatively small numbers and a polyp size amenable to resection through enteroscopy. Male gender and older age were related to an increased polyp burden.

Proton Pump Inhibitors Increase the Risk of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug-Related Small-Bowel Injury: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Conflicting results exist on the association between proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-related small-bowel damage. The aim of this study was to determine whether PPIs increased the risk of NSAID-related small-bowel damage by meta-analysis.

METHODS

A systematic electronic search in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science was conducted from the time the database was created until March 31, 2022, for studies reporting associations between PPI use and outcomes, including the endoscopy-verified prevalence of small-bowel injury, mean number of small-bowel injuries per patient, change in hemoglobin level, and risk of small-bowel bleeding in subjects taking NSAIDs. Meta-analytical calculations for odds ratio (OR) and mean difference (MD) were performed with the random-effects model and interpreted with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Fourteen studies comprising 1996 subjects were included. Pooled analysis demonstrated that concomitant use of PPIs significantly increased the prevalence and number of endoscopy-verified small-bowel injuries (prevalence: OR = 3.00; 95% CI: 1.74-5.16; number: MD = 2.30; 95% CI: 0.61-3.99) and decreased hemoglobin levels (MD = -0.50 g/dL; 95% CI: 0.88 to -0.12) in NSAID users but did not change the risk of small-bowel bleeding (OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 0.80-1.92). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that PPIs significantly increased the prevalence of small-bowel injury in subjects taking nonselective NSAIDs (OR = 7.05; 95% CI: 4.70-10.59, 4 studies, I 2 = 0) and COX-2 inhibitors (OR = 4.00; 95% CI: 1.18-13.60, 1 study, no calculated I 2 ) when compared with COX-2 inhibitors alone.

DISCUSSION

PPIs increased the risk of NSAID-related small-bowel damage, and the clinical significance of higher prevalence of small-bowel injuries should be studied in the future.

Small-bowel capsule endoscopy and device-assisted enteroscopy for diagnosis and treatment of small-bowel disorders: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline - Update 2022

MR1: ESGE recommends small-bowel capsule endoscopy as the first-line examination, before consideration of other endoscopic and radiological diagnostic tests for suspected small-bowel bleeding, given the excellent safety profile of capsule endoscopy, its patient tolerability, and its potential to visualize the entire small-bowel mucosa.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. MR2: ESGE recommends small-bowel capsule endoscopy in patients with overt suspected small-bowel bleeding as soon as possible after the bleeding episode, ideally within 48 hours, to maximize the diagnostic and subsequent therapeutic yield.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. MR3: ESGE does not recommend routine second-look endoscopy prior to small-bowel capsule endoscopy in patients with suspected small-bowel bleeding or iron-deficiency anemia.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. MR4: ESGE recommends conservative management in those patients with suspected small-bowel bleeding and high quality negative small-bowel capsule endoscopy.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. MR5: ESGE recommends device-assisted enteroscopy to confirm and possibly treat lesions identified by small-bowel capsule endoscopy.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. MR6: ESGE recommends the performance of small-bowel capsule endoscopy as a first-line examination in patients with iron-deficiency anemia when small bowel evaluation is indicated.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. MR7: ESGE recommends small-bowel capsule endoscopy in patients with suspected Crohn's disease and negative ileocolonoscopy findings as the initial diagnostic modality for investigating the small bowel, in the absence of obstructive symptoms or known bowel stenosis.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. MR8: ESGE recommends, in patients with unremarkable or nondiagnostic findings from dedicated small-bowel cross-sectional imaging, small-bowel capsule endoscopy as a subsequent investigation if deemed likely to influence patient management.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. MR9: ESGE recommends, in patients with established Crohn's disease, the use of a patency capsule before small-bowel capsule endoscopy to decrease the capsule retention rate.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. MR10: ESGE recommends device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) as an alternative to surgery for foreign bodies retained in the small bowel requiring retrieval in patients without acute intestinal obstruction.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. MR11: ESGE recommends DAE-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (DAE-ERCP) as a first-line endoscopic approach to treat pancreaticobiliary diseases in patients with surgically altered anatomy (except for Billroth II patients).Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence.

Small Bowel Metastatic Melanoma: An Emblematic “Coal-Black” Appearance at Videocapsule Endoscopy

A 80-year-old woman underwent vulvar melanoma resection and segmental lung resection for pulmonary metastasis. Immunotherapy with Nivolumab was performed. One year later, the patient was admitted for gastrointestinal (GI) recurrent bleeding and severe anemia. Esophagoastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy did not show any abnormality, while videocapsule endoscopy (VCE) revealed an irregular and exophytic whitish area with a “coal-black” central depression. Small bowel resection was performed and histological examination revealed S100 protein strongly positive melanoma metastasis. The patient died six months later from disease progression. A “coal-black” appearance of intestinal metastatic melanoma has been described only twice before this report. In one case the patient had been treated by immunotherapy with interferon A and dendritic cell-based vaccination. In our patient, it is presumable that the picture we observed was a consequence of Nivolumab treatment inducing the disappearance of melanocytes in the area surrounding the metastasis with the onset of the central coal-black lesion encircled by whitish tissue. This picture should be emblematic of intestinal metastatic melanoma in subjects treated with immunotherapy showing occult/obscure bleeding.

Revising the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) research priorities: a research progress update

BACKGROUND

One of the aims of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) is to encourage high quality endoscopic research at a European level. In 2016, the ESGE research committee published a set of research priorities. As endoscopic research is flourishing, we aimed to review the literature and determine whether endoscopic research over the last 4 years had managed to address any of our previously published priorities.

METHODS

As the previously published priorities were grouped under seven different domains, a working party with at least two European experts was created for each domain to review all the priorities under that domain. A structured review form was developed to standardize the review process. The group conducted an extensive literature search relevant to each of the priorities and then graded the priorities into three categories: (1) no longer a priority (well-designed trial, incorporated in national/international guidelines or adopted in routine clinical practice); (2) remains a priority (i. e. the above criterion was not met); (3) redefine the existing priority (i. e. the priority was too vague with the research question not clearly defined).

RESULTS

The previous ESGE research priorities document published in 2016 had 26 research priorities under seven domains. Our review of these priorities has resulted in seven priorities being removed from the list, one priority being partially removed, another seven being redefined to make them more precise, with eleven priorities remaining unchanged. This is a reflection of a rapid surge in endoscopic research, resulting in 27 % of research questions having already been answered and another 27 % requiring redefinition.

CONCLUSIONS

Our extensive review process has led to the removal of seven research priorities from the previous (2016) list, leaving 19 research priorities that have been redefined to make them more precise and relevant for researchers and funding bodies to target.

Effectiveness of Improved Use of Chewing Gum During Capsule Endoscopy in Decreasing Gastric Transit Time: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study

Background/Aim: Chewing gum throughout small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) increases completion rates (CRs) but decreases small bowel transit time (SBTT) and diagnostic yield (DY). We determined the effects of chewing gum early during SBCE on gastric transit time (GTT), SBTT, CR, DY, and gastroscopy intervention. Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients (ages 16-80 years) undergoing SBCE between January and June 2019. Patients were randomized to a chewing gum group (103 patients) and a control group (102 patients). Patients in the former group chewed one piece of gum for ~15 min every 30 min during the first hour of SBCE. Two gastroenterologists blinded to the study group examined the data. Results: GTT was shorter in the chewing gum group (19.0 min, interquartile range: 17.0-52.0 min) than in the control group [42.5 min (23.25-60 min); P = 0.01]. SBTT was similar in the two groups [318.5 min (239.5-421.3 min) vs. 287.0 min (216.0-386.0 min); P = 0.08]. Gastroscopy rate was lower in the chewing gum group (15.53 vs. 32.35%, P = 0.005). CR (95.15 vs. 89.22%, P = 0.114) and DY (66.02 vs. 59.80%, P = 0.359) did not differ between the groups. The number of abnormal-lesion types detected per patient was higher in the chewing gum group [1.0 (0.0-2.0) vs. 2.0 (0.0-2.0); P = 0.049]. Conclusions: Chewing gum early during SBCE significantly reduced GTT and gastroscopy intervention, with no influence on SBTT (Trial number: NCT03815136).

Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants and the Gastrointestinal Bleeding Risk in Real-World Studies

In the present study, we aimed to provide evidence from high-quality real world studies for a comprehensive and rigorous analysis on the gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) risk for non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs). We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and PUBMED, and of 286 records screened, we included data from 11 high-quality real-world studies, coordinated by independent research groups over the last 3 years, that reported major GIB events in patients given NOACs or vitamin K antagonists for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. The lowest risk of gastrointestinal bleeding was with apixaban compared with warfarin (hazard ratio (HR) for GIB for apixaban ranging between 0.45 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34 to 0.59) and 1.13 (95% CI 0.79 to 1.63)). Apixaban was associated with a lower risk of GI bleeding than dabigatran ((HR ranging between 0.39 (95% CI 0.27 to 0.58) and 0.95 (95% CI 0.65 to 1.18)) or rivaroxaban ((HR ranging between 0.33 (95% CI 0.22 to 0.49) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.62 to 1.08)). The results of our study confirm a low or a similar risk for major GIB between patients receiving apixaban or dabigatran compared with warfarin, and apixaban appears to be associated with the lowest risk of GIB.