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Pan-intestinal Capsule Endoscopy Versus Colonoscopy in Iron Deficiency Anemia or Overt GI Bleeding

Pan-intestinal Capsule Endoscopy Versus Conventional Colonoscopy in Iron Deficiency Anemia or Overt GI Bleeding: a Prospective Cohort Study

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04782986
Enrollment
100
Registered
2021-03-04
Start date
2020-06-19
Completion date
2023-01-31
Last updated
2023-09-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

GastroIntestinal Bleeding, Iron Deficiency Anemia

Keywords

iron deficiency anemia, gastrointestinal bleeding, pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy

Brief summary

The authors hypothesize that in patients with iron deficiency anemia or gastrointestinal bleeding, pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy is a safe and well tolerated procedure that may improve diagnostic yield comparatively to the current standard invasive colonoscopy.

Detailed description

Patients presenting with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) or overt GI bleeding are often submitted to conventional upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy, followed by small bowel capsule endoscopy if diagnosis remains elusive. Recently, however, the possibility of performing pan-intestinal endoscopy using a video capsule that evaluates both the small bowel and the colon in a single non-invasive examination, opens new perspectives for the management of those conditions, particularly when the initial upper GI endoscopy has been non-diagnostic. The authors hypothesize that performing early pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy strategy may allow, in a safe and well tolerated manner, to identify which patients would benefit of further interventions, such as colonoscopy or invasive enteroscopy, guided by findings pre-identified at capsule examination. The study aims to evaluate whether pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy is superior to the current standard strategy of conventional colonoscopy after non-diagnostic upper endoscopy in patients with IDA or overt GI bleeding, regarding diagnostic yield, safety and tolerability.

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TESTPan-intestinal capsule endoscopy

Patients with iron deficiency anemia or overt GI bleeding with non-diagnostic upper GI endoscopy will be submitted to same-day pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy using PillCam Crohn's Capsule (Medtronic) followed by conventional colonoscopy under propofol sedation

Sponsors

Medtronic
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Ave, EPE
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
FACTORIAL
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
DOUBLE (Caregiver, Investigator)

Masking description

The capsule endoscopy reader will be independent from the physicians performing the conventional colonoscopies, and all investigators will be blinded to each other's findings and reports. Capsule endoscopy and colonoscopy findings will be compared and in case of disagreement it will be discussed until a consensus is reached, if necessary, with the intervention of an independent third reader, experienced in both techniques and not involved in the primary reading of any of the examinations.

Intervention model description

Prospective, single-blinded, single center cohort study. All patients will undergo pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy followed by conventional colonoscopy with deep sedation in the same day, with no need for further bowel preparation.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
8 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patients from external consultation, hospital ward or urgency department, with suspected GI bleeding presenting in the occult form as IDA (Hb \<12.0 g/dL in female gender or \<13.0 g/dL in male gender) and/or overt GI bleeding presenting as melaena and/or haematochezia, and with prior non-diagnostic upper GI endoscopy (esophagogastroduodenoscopy, EGD)

Exclusion criteria

1. Lack of informed consent 2. Suspected lesions at index EGD that could justify the anemia or digestive bleeding 3. Known history of gastroparesis or bowel dysmotility 4. Known or suspected intestinal stricture 5. Female patients with potential gynaecological source of bleeding causative of the clinical condition 6. Patients with severe malnutrition 7. Patients unable to walk at least for short periods and/or with neurological and/or psychiatric condition potentially favouring protocol deviations 8. Allergy or contra-indications to any of the drugs or products used in the study 9. Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of participants with at least one potentially bleeding lesion detected in small bowel and/or colon2 weeksPotentially bleeding lesions include tumors, angiectasias, erosions, ulcers, diverticula or active bleeding

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Safety: number of participants with any procedure-related adverse events2 weeksAdverse events include capsule retention, bowel preparation-related (nausea, vomiting, dizziness, seizures, abdominal pain or bloating), bleeding, perforation or cardiopulmonary complications
Patient's preference: number of participants preferring capsule endoscopy or colonoscopy2 weeksQuestionnaire regarding preference based on overall experience and perception of the strengths and limitations of each procedure

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Quality of bowel preparation at capsule endoscopy (small bowel)2 weeksUse of validated Brotz scale (4-grade qualitative assessment as excellent, good, fair or poor bowel preparation)
Quality of bowel preparation at capsule endoscopy (colon)2 weeksUse of validated scale CC-CLEAR (Colon Capsule CLEansing Assessment and Report) - quantitative scale: adequate bowel preparation if overall score \>= 6 points, and \>= 2 points in each bowel segment (right, transverse, and left colon). Overall 0-5 points inadequate; 6-7 points good; 8-9 points excellent bowel preparation
Quality of bowel preparation at colonoscopy2 weeksUse of validated Boston Bowel Preparation Scale: quantitative scale 0-9 points - adequate bowel preparation if overall score \>= 6 points, and \>= 2 points in each bowel segment (right, transverse, and left colon)

Countries

Portugal

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 23, 2026