Background/Aims: Capsule enteroscopy (CE) and intestinal ultrasonography (IUS) are techniques that are currently used for investigating small-bowel (SB) diseases. The aim of this study was to compare the main imaging findings and the lesion detection rate (LDR) of CE and IUS in different clinical scenarios involving the SB. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled patients who underwent CE and IUS for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB), complicated celiac disease (CeD), and suspected or known inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We evaluated the LDR of both techniques. The accuracy of IUS was determined using CE as the reference standard. Results: A total of 159 patients (113 female; mean age, 49±19 years) were enrolled. The LDR was 55% and 33% for CE and IUS (p<0.05), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that the LDR of CE was significantly higher than that of IUS in patients with OGIB (62% vs. 14%, p<0.05) and CeD (55% vs. 35%, p<0.05). IUS showed a similar LDR to CE in patients with suspected or known IBD (51% vs. 46%, p=0.83). Conclusions CE should be preferred in cases of OGIB and CeD, whereas IUS should be considered an early step in the diagnosis and follow-up of IBD even in patients with a proximal SB localization of the disease.

Background/Aims: Small bowel bleeding (SBB) is the main indication for videocapsule endoscopy (VCE); the diagnostic yield (DY) could be influenced by antithrombotic therapies. We explored the effects of these therapies on SBB. Methods: Consecutive patients from two centers (Milan, Italy and Sheffield, UK) who underwent VCE between March 2001 and July 2020 were considered. Demographic data, clinical parameters, drug therapy, and technical characteristics of the procedure were collected. VCE findings and DY were evaluated. Results: In total, 957 patients (1,052 VCEs) underwent VCE for SBB (DY 50.6%, no retention); 27 patients (27 VCEs) received direct oral anticoagulants, 87 (88 VCEs) received other anticoagulants, 115 (135 VCEs) received antiplatelet therapy, 198 (218 VCEs) received monotherapy, and 31 (32 VCEs) received combined therapy. There were no differences in the completion rate, findings, and DYs between each subgroup or between monotherapy and combined therapy. The overt bleeding rate was similar in all groups, even when comparing antithrombotic users versus those not on therapy (p=0.59) or monotherapy versus combined therapy (p=0.34). Conclusions VCE is safe and has a high clinical impact on SBB. Antithrombotic therapies did not affect DY or overt bleeding rate and, consequently, can be considered safe in terms of SBB risk.

Background/Aims: Optimization of bowel preparation for small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is debated. Guidelines recommend 2 L of iso-osmolar polyethylene glycol (PEG) to improve SBCE visibility. We compared the efficacy of the standard 2 L PEG solution with a 1 L PEG plus ascorbate (PEG-ASC) preparation, which has already been established for large-bowel preparation. Methods: Between October 2020 and February 2022, patients undergoing SBCE were assigned to receive 2 L PEG or 1 L PEG-ASC bowel preparation on an even- or odd-day basis. Bowel cleanliness was evaluated using the small bowel mucosal visibility scoring system (SBMVSS). Results: Following propensity score matching using a random forest method, two comparable populations of patients treated with 2 L PEG (n=74, male 41%, 53±17 years) and 1 L PEG-ASC (n=74, male 42%, 55±21 years) were obtained from the original cohort of 221 consecutive SBCE patients. Our results showed a trend towards more frequent adequate mucosal visibility with 1 L PEG-ASC compared to 2 L PEG (small bowel mucosal visibility ≥2 in all three small bowel tertiles, p=0.07), as per the SBMVSS score. No significant differences were observed in the diagnostic yield (p=1.00), visibility score=9 (p=0.85), SBCE completeness (p=0.33), or adequate mucosal visibility in each tertile (p=0.61, p=0.74, and p=0.70 for the first, second, and third tertiles, respectively). Conclusions Our study suggests the non-inferiority of the 1 L PEG-ASC solution over the standard 2 L PEG for SBCE preparation.

Background/Aims: Small bowel bleeding (SBB) is the main indication for videocapsule endoscopy (VCE); the diagnostic yield (DY) could be influenced by antithrombotic therapies. We explored the effects of these therapies on SBB. Methods: Consecutive patients from two centers (Milan, Italy and Sheffield, UK) who underwent VCE between March 2001 and July 2020 were considered. Demographic data, clinical parameters, drug therapy, and technical characteristics of the procedure were collected. VCE findings and DY were evaluated. Results: In total, 957 patients (1,052 VCEs) underwent VCE for SBB (DY 50.6%, no retention); 27 patients (27 VCEs) received direct oral anticoagulants, 87 (88 VCEs) received other anticoagulants, 115 (135 VCEs) received antiplatelet therapy, 198 (218 VCEs) received monotherapy, and 31 (32 VCEs) received combined therapy. There were no differences in the completion rate, findings, and DYs between each subgroup or between monotherapy and combined therapy. The overt bleeding rate was similar in all groups, even when comparing antithrombotic users versus those not on therapy (p=0.59) or monotherapy versus combined therapy (p=0.34). Conclusions VCE is safe and has a high clinical impact on SBB. Antithrombotic therapies did not affect DY or overt bleeding rate and, consequently, can be considered safe in terms of SBB risk.

Background/Aims: Optimization of bowel preparation for small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is debated. Guidelines recommend 2 L of iso-osmolar polyethylene glycol (PEG) to improve SBCE visibility. We compared the efficacy of the standard 2 L PEG solution with a 1 L PEG plus ascorbate (PEG-ASC) preparation, which has already been established for large-bowel preparation. Methods: Between October 2020 and February 2022, patients undergoing SBCE were assigned to receive 2 L PEG or 1 L PEG-ASC bowel preparation on an even- or odd-day basis. Bowel cleanliness was evaluated using the small bowel mucosal visibility scoring system (SBMVSS). Results: Following propensity score matching using a random forest method, two comparable populations of patients treated with 2 L PEG (n=74, male 41%, 53±17 years) and 1 L PEG-ASC (n=74, male 42%, 55±21 years) were obtained from the original cohort of 221 consecutive SBCE patients. Our results showed a trend towards more frequent adequate mucosal visibility with 1 L PEG-ASC compared to 2 L PEG (small bowel mucosal visibility ≥2 in all three small bowel tertiles, p=0.07), as per the SBMVSS score. No significant differences were observed in the diagnostic yield (p=1.00), visibility score=9 (p=0.85), SBCE completeness (p=0.33), or adequate mucosal visibility in each tertile (p=0.61, p=0.74, and p=0.70 for the first, second, and third tertiles, respectively). Conclusions Our study suggests the non-inferiority of the 1 L PEG-ASC solution over the standard 2 L PEG for SBCE preparation.

Background/Aims: Small bowel bleeding (SBB) is the main indication for videocapsule endoscopy (VCE); the diagnostic yield (DY) could be influenced by antithrombotic therapies. We explored the effects of these therapies on SBB. Methods: Consecutive patients from two centers (Milan, Italy and Sheffield, UK) who underwent VCE between March 2001 and July 2020 were considered. Demographic data, clinical parameters, drug therapy, and technical characteristics of the procedure were collected. VCE findings and DY were evaluated. Results: In total, 957 patients (1,052 VCEs) underwent VCE for SBB (DY 50.6%, no retention); 27 patients (27 VCEs) received direct oral anticoagulants, 87 (88 VCEs) received other anticoagulants, 115 (135 VCEs) received antiplatelet therapy, 198 (218 VCEs) received monotherapy, and 31 (32 VCEs) received combined therapy. There were no differences in the completion rate, findings, and DYs between each subgroup or between monotherapy and combined therapy. The overt bleeding rate was similar in all groups, even when comparing antithrombotic users versus those not on therapy (p=0.59) or monotherapy versus combined therapy (p=0.34). Conclusions VCE is safe and has a high clinical impact on SBB. Antithrombotic therapies did not affect DY or overt bleeding rate and, consequently, can be considered safe in terms of SBB risk.

Background/Aims: Optimization of bowel preparation for small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is debated. Guidelines recommend 2 L of iso-osmolar polyethylene glycol (PEG) to improve SBCE visibility. We compared the efficacy of the standard 2 L PEG solution with a 1 L PEG plus ascorbate (PEG-ASC) preparation, which has already been established for large-bowel preparation. Methods: Between October 2020 and February 2022, patients undergoing SBCE were assigned to receive 2 L PEG or 1 L PEG-ASC bowel preparation on an even- or odd-day basis. Bowel cleanliness was evaluated using the small bowel mucosal visibility scoring system (SBMVSS). Results: Following propensity score matching using a random forest method, two comparable populations of patients treated with 2 L PEG (n=74, male 41%, 53±17 years) and 1 L PEG-ASC (n=74, male 42%, 55±21 years) were obtained from the original cohort of 221 consecutive SBCE patients. Our results showed a trend towards more frequent adequate mucosal visibility with 1 L PEG-ASC compared to 2 L PEG (small bowel mucosal visibility ≥2 in all three small bowel tertiles, p=0.07), as per the SBMVSS score. No significant differences were observed in the diagnostic yield (p=1.00), visibility score=9 (p=0.85), SBCE completeness (p=0.33), or adequate mucosal visibility in each tertile (p=0.61, p=0.74, and p=0.70 for the first, second, and third tertiles, respectively). Conclusions Our study suggests the non-inferiority of the 1 L PEG-ASC solution over the standard 2 L PEG for SBCE preparation.