The value of wireless capsule endoscopy in patients with complicated celiac disease.
BACKGROUND
Celiac disease may be complicated by symptoms that raise the suspicion of small-intestinal malignancy. The objective is to evaluate wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) in complicated celiac disease.


METHODS
This is a prospective study at a university referral center. There were 47 patients. The indications for WCE were abdominal pain (57%), cancer surveillance (23%), blood in the stool, or persistent iron deficiency (19%).


RESULTS
Findings were consistent with celiac disease in 87%: atrophy (68%), fissuring (62%), and mosaic pattern (19%), extending to the ileum in 34%. Unexpected findings were ulceration in 45% (n = 21), cancer (1), polyps (1), stricture (1), submucosal mass (1), ulcerated nodular mucosa (2), and intussusception (1) were seen in 60%.


CONCLUSIONS
WCE has a high yield in complicated celiac disease, by identifying mucosal abnormalities and by excluding adenocarcinoma.
Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
Andrea
A
Culliford
Jeanine
J
Daly
Beverly
B
Diamond
Moshe
M
Rubin
Peter H R
PH
Green
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000150:complications; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000150:complications; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007580:Jejunal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013686:Telemetry