title: Safety of capsule endoscopy in the octogenarian as compared with younger patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been an increased use of capsule endoscopy for the evaluation of small-intestine pathology in very elderly patients, yet the safety profile of this procedure has not been well-established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the adverse event rate of capsule endoscopy in patients aged ≥80 years and to compare this rate with that of capsule endoscopy patients aged <80 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective matched cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single tertiary-care referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 195 patients aged ≥80 years who underwent capsule endoscopy between 2005 and 2011 were included, along with 585 capsule endoscopy patients aged <80 years who were matched by sex in a 1:3 fashion.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent capsule endoscopy and, in selected cases, double-balloon enteroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adverse event rate of capsule endoscopy, which was defined as capsule retention or aspiration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adverse events occurred at a similar frequency in patients aged ≥80 years compared with those aged <80 years (1.03% vs 0.85%; P = 1.00), resulting in a difference of 0.2% (95% confidence interval, -1.8% to 2.1%). All adverse events were related to capsule retention, with no study patients experiencing aspiration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This was a single-center, retrospective study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adverse events resulting from capsule endoscopy occur at a similar rate in patients aged ≥80 years compared with those aged <80 years. Capsule endoscopy can be performed safely in the very elderly patient population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road South, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Antonio R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Cheesman
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Heckman
authors.forename: Bhupendra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rawal
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Lukens
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D053704:Capsule Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D058582:Double-Balloon Enteroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D004751:Enteritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: CE; DBE; NSAID; OGIB; capsule endoscopy; double-balloon enteroscopy; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; obscure GI bleeding