Wireless capsule endoscopy in the investigation of patients with chronic renal failure and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (preliminary data).
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) in detection of small bowel (SB) pathology in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and obscure bleeding.


METHODS
Consecutive CRF patients with obscure bleeding were prospectively studied. Patients with normal renal function and obscure bleeding, investigated during the same period with WCE, were used for the interpretation of results.


RESULTS
Seventeen CRF patients (11 overt, 6 occult bleeding) and 51 patients (33 overt, 18 occult bleeding) with normal renal function were enrolled in this study. Positive SB findings were detected in 70.6% of CRF patients and in 41.2% of non-CRF patients (P < 0.05). SB angiodysplasia was identified in 47% of CRF patients and in 17.6% of non-CRF patients. Univariate logistic regression revealed CRF as a significant predictive factor for angiodysplasia (P < 0.05). Therapeutic measures were undertaken in 66% of the patients with the positive findings.


CONCLUSIONS
According to our preliminary results, SB angiodysplasia was found in an increased prevalence among CRF patients with obscure bleeding. WCE is useful in diagnosis of gastrointestinal pathologies and in planning appropriate therapeutic intervention and, therefore, should be included in the work-up of this group of patients.
Karagiannis
Stephanos
S
Academic Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Nursing, Athens University, General Hospital of Athens Helena Venizelou, Greece. stkaragiannis@yahoo.gr
Goulas
Spyros
S
Kosmadakis
Georgios
G
Galanis
Petros
P
Arvanitis
Dimitrios
D
Boletis
John
J
Georgiou
Evangelos
E
Mavrogiannis
Christos
C
D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis