Clinical usefulness and acceptability of small-bowel capsule endoscopy with panoramic imaging compared with axial imaging in Japanese patients.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the usefulness and acceptability of CapsoCam Plus (CapsoCam) in Japanese patients. Methods: This retrospective single-center study enrolled 930 patients with suspected small-bowel bleeding (SSBB) who underwent capsule endoscopy. Thirty-three patients using CapsoCam and PillCam SB3 (SB3) were matched using propensity score matching. The diagnostic yield and the acceptability of CapsoCam were evaluated. Results: There was no SSBB case where capsule endoscopy was performed within 48 h of bleeding. CapsoCam had a significantly higher observation rate of the entire small bowel (97% vs. 73%, p = 0.006) and Vater's papilla (82% vs. 15%, p < 0.001) than SB3. The reading time of CapsoCam was significantly longer than that of SB3 (30 vs. 25 min, p < 0.001), and CapsoCam's time from the capsule endoscopy swallowing to read completion was longer than that of SB3 (37 vs. 12 h, p < 0.001). The two groups showed no difference in the capsule endoscopy findings according to the P classification. Notably, 85% of the patients using CapsoCam reported examination distress as "not at all" or "almost not," and 94% reported swallowing difficulty as "very easy" or "easy." Conclusions: CapsoCam took time to read; however, it is a well-tolerated examination with a high observation rate of Vater's papilla and entire small-bowel mucosa. Detectability of bleeding sources was comparable in both modalities for cases of occult SSBB and overt SSBB more than 48 h after bleeding. CapsoCam is a useful modality for patients with SSBB.

Gel immersion EMR of small-bowel inflammatory fibroid polyp using double-balloon endoscopy.

Video 1A case of an inflammatory fibroid polyp of the ileum that was safely resected using gel immersion EMR with double-balloon endoscopy.

Long-term outcomes of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding after negative capsule endoscopy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Although small-bowel capsule endoscopy (CE) is widely used for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB), long-term outcomes for OGIB patients after negative CE remain unclear. Herein, we defined negative CE as P0 (no bleeding potential) or P1 (less likely to bleed), based on the P classification using CE. We aimed to clarify long-term outcomes of patients with OGIB after negative CE. METHODS: This single-center observational study enrolled 461 consecutive patients with OGIB who underwent CE from March 2014 to October 2021 and were followed up for >1 year. We examined rebleeding rates and predictive factors. RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty-four (49%) patients had P0, and 237 (51%) had P1 findings. Rebleeding occurred in 9% and 16% of patients in the P0 and P1 groups, respectively. Two patients in the P0 group and 15 in the P1 group showed rebleeding from the small bowel. The rate of small-bowel rebleeding was significantly lower in the P0 group than that in the P1 group (1% vs 6%, P = 0.002), as was the cumulative rebleeding rate (P = 0.004). In the multivariate analysis, history of endoscopic hemostasis (hazard ratio [HR] = 15.958, 95% confidence interval [CI]:4.950-51.447, P < 0.001) and P1 CE findings (HR = 9.989, 95% CI: 2.077-48.030, P = 0.004) were independently predicted small-bowel rebleeding. CONCLUSIONS: OGIB with P0 CE findings rarely showed rebleeding from the small bowel. Rebleeding may occur in patients with OGIB. Patients with history of endoscopic hemostasis for small-bowel lesions or P1 CE findings should be followed up intensively.

Disease surveillance evaluation of primary small-bowel follicular lymphoma using capsule endoscopy images based on a deep convolutional neural network (with video).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Capsule endoscopy (CE) is useful in evaluating disease surveillance for primary small-bowel follicular lymphoma (FL), but some cases are difficult to evaluate objectively. This study evaluated the usefulness of a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) system using CE images for disease surveillance of primary small-bowel FL. METHODS: We enrolled 26 consecutive patients with primary small-bowel FL diagnosed between January 2011 and January 2021 who underwent CE before and after a watch-and-wait strategy or chemotherapy. Disease surveillance by the CNN system was evaluated by the percentage of FL-detected images among all CE images of the small-bowel mucosa. RESULTS: Eighteen cases (69%) were managed with a watch-and-wait approach, and 8 cases (31%) were treated with chemotherapy. Among the 18 cases managed with the watch-and-wait approach, the outcome of lesion evaluation by the CNN system was almost the same in 13 cases (72%), aggravation in 4 (22%), and improvement in 1 (6%). Among the 8 cases treated with chemotherapy, the outcome of lesion evaluation by the CNN system was improvement in 5 cases (63%), almost the same in 2 (25%), and aggravation in 1 (12%). The physician and CNN system reported similar results regarding disease surveillance evaluation in 23 of 26 cases (88%), whereas a discrepancy between the 2 was found in the remaining 3 cases (12%), attributed to poor small-bowel cleansing level. CONCLUSIONS: Disease surveillance evaluation of primary small-bowel FL using CE images by the developed CNN system was useful under the condition of excellent small-bowel cleansing level.

Diagnostic yield of proximal jejunal lesions with third-generation capsule endoscopy.

Objectives: Capsule endoscopy (CE) has been shown to have poor diagnostic performance when the capsule passes quickly through the small bowel, especially the proximal jejunum. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic yield of proximal jejunal lesions with third-generation CE technology. Methods: We retrospectively examined 138 consecutive patients, 76 (55.0%) of whom were men. The patients' median age was 70 years, and proximal jejunal lesions were detected by CE and/or double-balloon endoscopy at Hiroshima University Hospital between January 2011 and June 2021. We analyzed the diagnostic accuracy of CE for proximal jejunal lesions and compared the characteristics of the discrepancy between the use of CE and double-balloon endoscopy with Pillcam SB 2 (SB2) and Pillcam SB 3 (SB3). Results: SB2 and SB3 were used in 48 (35%) and 90 (65%) patients, respectively. There was no difference in baseline characteristics between these groups. Small-bowel lesions in the proximal jejunum comprised 75 tumors (54%), 50 vascular lesions (36%), and 13 inflammatory lesions (9%). The diagnostic rate was significantly higher in the SB3 group than in the SB2 group for tumors (91% vs. 72%, p < 0.05) and vascular lesions (97% vs. 69%, p < 0.01). For vascular lesions, in particular, the diagnostic rate of angioectasia improved in the SB3 group (100%) compared with that in the SB2 group (69%). Conclusions: SB3 use improved the detection of proximal jejunal tumors and vascular lesions compared with SB2 use.

Predictive factors for the progression of primary localized stage small-bowel follicular lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Primary small-bowel follicular lymphoma (FL) is mainly diagnosed as a duodenal lesion during esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Recently, with the widespread use of small-bowel endoscopy, FL in the jejunum and ileum has been detected. Most patients with small-bowel FL are diagnosed at the localized stage, and a watch-and-wait policy is used. However, the predictive factors for the progression of small-bowel FL have not been clarified. This study retrospectively examined the predictive factors for the progression of primary localized stage small-bowel FL based on clinicopathological and endoscopic findings. METHODS: We enrolled 60 consecutive patients with primary small-bowel FL diagnosed at two tertiary hospitals between January 2005 and December 2020, with localized stage, low grade, and low tumor burden with the watch-and-wait policy. We examined the predictive factors for progression according to the clinicopathological and endoscopic findings. Endoscopic findings were focused on the color tone, circumferential location of follicular lesions (circumference ≥ 1/2 or < 1/2), fusion of follicular lesions (fusion [ +] or [ -]), and protruded lesions (≥ 6 mm or < 6 mm). RESULTS: Progressive disease was observed in 12 (20%) patients (mean observation period, 76.4 ± 55.4 months). In the multivariate analysis, "circumference ≥ 1/2" and "fusion (+)" were significant predictive factors for progression. According to the Kaplan-Meier analysis, progression-free survival was significantly shorter in the "circumference ≥ 1/2" and/or "fusion (+)" group than in the "circumference < 1/2" and "fusion ( -)" group. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic findings of "circumference ≥ 1/2" and "fusion (+)" were significant predictive factors for the progression of primary localized stage small-bowel FL.

Efficacy of single-balloon overtube for endoscopic submucosal dissection in the proximal colon: A propensity score-matched analysis.

Objectives: A single-balloon overtube (SBO) can improve poor scope operability during colonic endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). We aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of SBO for ESD in the proximal colon and the predictive factors for cases in which SBO is useful. Methods: A total of 88 tumors located in the proximal colon resected by balloon-assisted ESD (BA-ESD) using SBO and 461 tumors resected by conventional ESD (C-ESD) between June 2015 and November 2020 were considered. Seventy-eight tumors each in the BA-ESD and C-ESD groups were matched by propensity score matching. ESD outcomes were compared between the groups, and a decision tree analysis was performed to explore the predictive factors for cases in which SBO is useful. Results: There were no significant differences between the groups in the major outcomes such as en bloc resection rate (95% vs. 99%, p = 0.17), R0 resection rate (92% vs. 96%, p = 0.30), mean dissection speed (16 mm2/min vs. 16 mm2/min, p = 0.53), and intraoperative perforation rate (5% vs. 6%, p = 0.73). Even when considering cases with poor preoperative scope operability, there were no significant differences between the groups. Comparison of tumors ≥40 mm in diameter between the groups confirmed that the intraoperative perforation rate was significantly lower in the BA-ESD group than in the C-ESD group (0% vs. 24%, p = 0.0188). Conclusion: SBO is useful for ESD of tumors ≥40 mm in diameter in the proximal colon to prevent intraoperative perforation, which usually has a long procedure time.

Safety and efficacy of the endoscopic delivery of capsule endoscopes in adult and pediatric patients: Multicenter Japanese study (AdvanCE-J study).

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We retrospectively determined the safety and efficacy of the endoscopic delivery (ED) of capsule endoscopes. METHODS: We enrolled 10,156 patients who underwent small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE), 3182 who underwent patency capsule (PC), and 1367 who underwent colon capsule endoscopy (CCE), at 11 gastroenterological and nine pediatric centers. RESULTS: Small bowel capsule endoscopies, PCs, and CCEs were endoscopically delivered to 546 (5.4%), 214 (6.7%), and 14 (1.0%) patients, respectively. Only mild complications occurred for 21.6% (167/774), including uneventful mucosal damage, bleeding, and abdominal pain. Successful ED of SBCE to the duodenum or jejunum occurred in 91.8% and 90.7% of patients aged <16 years and ≥16 years, respectively (P = 0.6661), but the total enteroscopy rate was higher in the first group (91.7%) than in the second (76.2%, P < 0.0001), for whom impossible ingestion (87.3%) was significantly more common than prolonged lodging in the stomach (64.2%, P = 0.0010). Successful PC and CCE delivery to the duodenum occurred in 84.1% and 28.6%, thereafter the patency confirmation rate and total colonoscopy rate was 100% and 61.5%, respectively. The height, weight, and age cutoff points in predicting spontaneous ingestion were 132 cm, 24.8 kg, and 9 years 2 months, respectively, in patients aged <16 years. Patients aged ≥16 years could not swallow the SBCEs mainly due to dysphagia (75.0%); those who retained it in the esophagus due to cardiac disease (28.6%), etc. and in the stomach due to diabetes mellitus (15.7%), etc. CONCLUSIONS: This large-scale study supports the safety and efficacy of ED in adult and pediatric patients. UMIN000042020.

Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Small-bowel Angioectasia in Systemic Sclerosis Patients: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Objective Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is defined as an autoimmune disease presenting with fibrosis of various organs and vascular endothelial damage. Vascular lesions, including small-bowel angioectasias, are also frequently detected in SSc patients. Polidocanol injection (PDI) is a safe and effective hemostatic treatment for gastrointestinal bleeding. We evaluated the outcomes of PDI for small-bowel angioectasia in SSc patients. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 65 consecutive SSc patients (61 women; mean age, 64.3 years old) who underwent capsule endoscopy (CE) and/or double-balloon endoscopy at Hiroshima University Hospital between April 2012 and December 2019. Patients Patients were stratified according to the presence of small-bowel angioectasia. Among patients who underwent CE during the same period, those with small-bowel angioectasia without concomitant diseases were compared with SSc patients with small-bowel angioectasia. Clinical and endoscopic characteristics, treatment outcomes, and the incidence of metachronous small-bowel angioectasia after PDI were evaluated. Results SSc patients with small-bowel angioectasia exhibited significantly lower hemoglobin levels and a significantly higher incidence of skin telangiectasia than those without small-bowel angioectasia. On a multivariate analysis of the presence of small-bowel angioectasia, anemia and skin telangiectasia were significant independent factors. SSc patients with small-bowel angioectasia included a higher proportion of women and exhibited a significantly higher incidence of metachronous small-bowel angioectasia than X. The characteristics of small-bowel angioectasia and outcomes of PDI were not significantly different between the two groups. No post-treatment rebleeding cases or adverse events were noted. Conclusion CE should be performed for SSc patients with anemia and/or skin telangiectasia. PDI is effective for SSc patients with small-bowel angioectasia.

Endoscopic Delivery Method Using a Retrieval Net for Patients with Small-Bowel Capsule Endoscopy Stagnation in the Stomach.

With the increasing use of capsule endoscopy (CE), screening tests for the small bowel can be performed with minimal invasiveness. However, occasionally, the entire small bowel cannot be observed because of decreased peristalsis of the stomach. For such cases, we perform delivery of CE by an endoscope. We retrospectively examined the usefulness of the endoscopic delivery method using a retrieval net for patients with CE stagnation in the stomach. From 2,270 patients who underwent small-bowel CE at Hiroshima University Hospital from January 2013 to January 2020, 29 consecutive patients (1.3% of the total number) in whom the small bowel could not be observed due to CE stagnation in the stomach at the time of the initial CE underwent the endoscopic delivery method using a retrieval net for secondary small-bowel CE. This study included 16 male (55%) and 13 female (45%) patients with a mean age of 69.2 ± 13.2 years. 11 patients (38%) had a history of gastrointestinal surgical resection. The entire small bowel could be observed in 19 patients (66%), and CE reached the terminal ileum in the remaining patients. A history of gastrointestinal surgical resection was significantly more frequent in the group where the entire small bowel could not be observed. The rate of small-bowel lesion detection was 55% (16/29). There were no adverse events associated with our endoscopic delivery method. Thus, the endoscopic delivery method using a retrieval net for patients with initial CE stagnation in the stomach may be safe and useful for the detection of small-bowel lesions.

Capsule endoscopy findings reflect the gastrointestinal conditions of patients with systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by fibrosis of the skin and various internal organs. However, there is limited knowledge concerning small-bowel lesions. We evaluated the clinical state of patients with SSc according to the capsule endoscopy (CE) findings. Sixty-five consecutive patients with SSc (61 females; mean age, 64.3 years) underwent CE at Hiroshima University Hospital between April 2012 and December 2019. SSc was subclassified into diffuse and limited cutaneous SSc. Among the 65 patients, 55 (51 females; mean age, 64.5 years; diffuse cutaneous SSc, 27 patients) were evaluated for the presence of fibrosis in the gastrointestinal tract by biopsy. Small-bowel lesions were detected in 27 (42%) patients with SSc. Type 1b angioectasia (Yano-Yamamoto classification) was more frequent in limited cutaneous SSc patients (p = 0.0071). The average capsule transit time of the esophagus was significantly longer in diffuse cutaneous SSc patients (p = 0.0418). There were more cases of Type 1a angioectasia in SSc patients without fibrosis. The average capsule transit time of the esophagus was significantly longer in SSc patients with fibrosis. Thus, this study revealed that the frequency of small-bowel angioectasia and gastrointestinal motility in patients with SSc differed depending on SSc subclassification and the presence of fibrosis.

Genomic analysis for the prediction of prognosis in small-bowel cancer.

The current understanding of clinicopathological features and genomic variants of small-bowel cancer is limited, in part due to the rarity of the disease. However, understanding of these factors is necessary for the development of novel therapeutic agents for small-bowel cancer. Thus, we aimed to identify the clinicopathological features and genomic variants associated with its prognosis and recurrence. We retrospectively examined 24 consecutive patients with primary small-bowel cancer surgically treated between May 2005 and August 2018 and collected 29 tumor specimens. The 29 lesions were subjected to mismatch repair status evaluation, using immunohistochemistry (IHC), and targeted genomic sequencing, after which they were analyzed using a panel of 90 cancer-related genes. IHC revealed that 45% (13/29) of the lesions exhibited deficient mismatch repair. The most common genomic variants in small-bowel cancers were in TP53 (48%, 13/27), followed by KRAS (44%, 12/27), ARID1A (33%, 9/27), PIK3CA (26%, 7/27), APC (26%, 7/27), and SMAD4, NOTCH3, CREBBP, PTCH1, and EP300 (22%, 6/27 each). Overall survival and disease-specific survival of patients with tumor mutational burden (TMB) ≥10 mutations/Mb (n = 17) were significantly better than those of patients with TMB <10 mutations/Mb (n = 6). Additionally, patients with a mutant SMAD4 had poorer recurrence-free survival than those with wild-type SMAD4. Our results suggested that TMB and SMAD4 mutations were associated with the prognosis of small-bowel cancer patients. Thus, cancer genomic analysis could be useful in the search for biomarkers of prognosis prediction in small-bowel cancers.

Overlooked muscle cramps in patients with chronic liver disease: in relation to the prevalence of muscle cramps.

INTRODUCTION: Muscle cramps are common comorbidities in chronic liver disease (CLD). Although the prevalence of these has been reported in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), that of CLD is unknown. In this study, we aimed to clarify the prevalence and characteristics of muscle cramps in individual CLD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 432 patients with CLD who visited our hospital were enrolled. The existence of muscle cramps, frequency, time zone, duration, and the degree of pain were investigated using a medical interview questionnaire. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 65 years and 48.6% of the patients were women. The prevalence of muscle cramps was 25.9%. Age, female sex, lower BMI, existence of comorbid diseases, and liver fibrosis were associated significantly with muscle cramps. In LC, muscle cramps were significantly frequent, and the severity and duration of these were significantly stronger and longer compared with chronic hepatitis. Female sex [odds ratio (OR): 2.26; P=0.014], diabetes (OR: 29.4; P<0.001), chronic kidney disease (OR: 8.33; P=0.004), and lower BMI (OR: 0.853; P<0.001) were independent factors associated with muscle cramps in CLD. Muscle mass indices were significantly lower among nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients with muscle cramps, female patients, elderly patients, and patients with advanced fibrosis. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of muscle cramps was relatively high in CLD. Female sex, comorbid diabetes, and chronic kidney disease are associated with muscle cramps in CLD. Furthermore, reduced muscle mass is related to muscle cramps in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.