Capsule endoscopy in paediatrics: multicentric Belgian study.
OBJECTIVE
Capsule Endoscopy (CE) is a noninvasive procedure for evaluating small bowel disease. Data concerning children are scarce. The aim of the present report was to review all paediatric cases investigated by CE in Belgium.


METHODS
The seven Belgian academic hospitals using the CE device (Given) were asked to collect information on CE performed in patients < or = 18 years. Main indications for performing VCE, former radiological and endoscopic procedures were collected, as well as final diagnosis and clinical impact of VCE findings.


RESULTS
From November 2002 until December 2005, VCE was performed in 17 children (mean age : 11.9 years, range : 5-18). Indications were occult gastro-intestinal bleeding (OGIB) and/or iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) (10 cases) and chronic and/or recurrent abdominal pain (7 cases). Mean duration of symptoms was 8.6 months. The mean number of endoscopic and radiological procedures before performing CE was 4.2 per patient. Detected lesions were ulcerations (6 cases), jejunal varices (1), ileo-ileal invagination (2), active bleeding (1), and normal findings (7). In the indication of OGIB/IDA, relevant findings having an impact on the diagnosis were found in 60% of the cases. In the group with chronic and recurrent abdominal pain, CE brought relevant findings in 43%. CE findings had an impact on therapy in 44% of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
CE could be a useful tool for clinical work-up of difficult paediatric cases, not only in the indication of IDA/OGIB, but also for selected cases of recurrent abdominal pain, but prospective controlled trials including emerging techniques like CT enterography are mandatory.
Urbain
Daniel
D
Hepato-gastroenterology Unit, AZ VUB, Brussels. daniel.urbain@az.vub.ac.be
Tresinie
Micheline
M
De Looz
Danny
D
Demedts
Ingrid
I
Hauser
Bruno
B
Mana
Fazia
F
Macken
Elisabeth
E
Hoffmann
Ilse
I
Scaillon
Michèle
M
Van Callie-Bertrand
Michelle
M
Van Gossum
André
A
Louis
Eduard
E
Vandenplas
Yvan
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D053704:Capsule Endoscopy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male