title: [Analysis of the factors that affect the diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Capsule endoscopy (CE) has become a valuable modality for the detection of small bowel lesions. The usefulness of CE for obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding has been established with an overall diagnostic yield of 60%. It is unknown whether CE is of equal value in all the patients or of greater benefit in selected groups in Korea. We evaluated the factors that affect the diagnostic yields of CE in patients with obscure GI bleeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  CE was performed in 126 consecutive patients [74 men and 52 women mean age 52.5 years (25-75 yrs), 23 with active bleeding] with obscure GI bleeding between September 2002 and July 2004. Patients were divided into two groups: those with documented bleeding lesions and those with non specific CE findings. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and other parameters that influenced the diagnostic yields of CE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A definite or probable cause for obscure GI bleeding was found in 69% (80/116) of the patients. NSAID induced ulcer (16.4%) and angiodysplasia (12.1%) were the most common diagnoses. In patients with active bleeding, the diagnostic yield was significantly greater than that of the patients with occult bleeding (80% vs. 68.3%, p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in parameters between patients with abnormal CE and those with normal CE in respect to gender, age, previous bleeding history, need for transfusion, cecum imaging, and bowel preparation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnostic yield of CE in patients with obscure GI bleeding is 69%. It is significantly higher in patients with active bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Digestive Disease and Nutrition, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Beom Jae
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hoon Jai
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Ja Soul
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Bora
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Keum
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Du Rang
authors.initials: du R
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong Dae
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Yong Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon Tae
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Jean
authors.forename: Hong Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soon Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Um
authors.forename: Sang Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jai Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Chang Duck
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ho Sang
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Ryu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D053704:Capsule Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity