Brief Article
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 14, 2010; 16(26): 3299-3304
Published online Jul 14, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i26.3299
Wireless capsule endoscopy and proximal small bowel lesions in Crohn’s disease
Carmelina Petruzziello, Sara Onali, Emma Calabrese, Francesca Zorzi, Marta Ascolani, Giovanna Condino, Elisabetta Lolli, Paola Naccarato, Francesco Pallone, Livia Biancone
Carmelina Petruzziello, Sara Onali, Emma Calabrese, Francesca Zorzi, Marta Ascolani, Giovanna Condino, Elisabetta Lolli, Paola Naccarato, Francesco Pallone, Livia Biancone, GI Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Rome 00133, Italy
Author contributions: Petruzziello C performed the majority of the WCE procedures; Naccarato P reviewed the WCE images; Onali S, Calabrese E, Zorzi F and Ascolani M enrolled and followed up the patients; Lolli E and Condino G provided the requested clinical parameters; Pallone F contributed to writing of the manuscript; Biancone L designed the study and wrote the manuscript.
Supported by (in part) The Foundation “Fondazione Umberto Di Mario, Largo Marchiafava”, Rome, Italy
Correspondence to: Livia Biancone, MD, PhD, GI Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy. biancone@med.uniroma2.it
Telephone: +39-6-20903737 Fax: +39-6-20903738
Received: November 6, 2009
Revised: December 11, 2009
Accepted: December 18, 2009
Published online: July 14, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of proximal small bowel (SB) lesions detected by wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) in Crohn’s disease (CD).

METHODS: WCE was performed in 64 patients: 32 with CD of the distal ileum, and 32 controls with iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) or diarrhea. WCE was performed using the Given SB-WCE, followed by small intestine contrast ultrasonography (SICUS). Findings compatible with CD by using WCE included erosions, aphthoid or deep ulcers, and strictures/stenosis.

RESULTS: WCE detected proximal SB lesions in 16/32 (50%) patients (14 aphthoid ulcers, 2 deep ulcers, one stricture), which appeared not to be related to clinical parameters [epigastric pain, age, smoking, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), IDA]. Among patients with proximal SB lesions, 6 (37%) were smokers, 3 (19%) NSAID users, 3 (19%) had epigastric pain and 4 (25%) had IDA. SICUS detected proximal SB lesions in 3/32 patients (19%) also showing lesions with WCE. No correlations were observed between proximal SB lesions assessed by WCE or by SICUS (χ2 = 1.5, P = 0.2).

CONCLUSION: The use of WCE allows the detection of previously unknown upper SB lesions in a high proportion of patients with a previous diagnosis of CD involving the distal ileum.

Keywords: Wireless capsule endoscopy, Crohn’s disease, Small bowel