Effects of ageing on small bowel video-capsule endoscopy examination

The effects of ageing on small bowel video-capsule endoscopy (VCE) studies have not been studied prospectively yet.

We prospectively investigated 120 consecutive VCE studies. Patients were divided into three age groups: <40, 40-64, and > or =65 yr. Two independent investigators examined the completion of the examination and measured the VCE gastric transit time (GTT), small bowel transit time (SBTT), and the proportion of VCE SBTT without clean intestinal mucosa. They also recorded study findings.

We examined the videos of 32 (26.7%), 36 (30%), and 52 (43.3%) patients aged under 40, 40-64, and over 64 yr, respectively. VCE completion (cecum visualized) rate was similar in the three groups (81.2%, 77.8%, and 78.8%, respectively, P= 0.96). There was no difference in GTT (P= 0.22) and in SBTT (P= 0.8) among the three age groups. Although in univariate analysis, there was a trend (P= 0.057) for higher proportion of SBTT without clean mucosa in patients over 64 yr (22.65 [12.42-32.22]%) versus patients under 40 (12.65 [4.57-30.7]%) and patients aged 40-64 yr (12.55 [6.12-31.32]%), multivariate linear regression analysis has not confirmed this difference. Older patients had significantly less erosions and normal studies, but they had more angiodysplasias (P < 0.05). All four tumors were detected in the elderly.

Ageing does not affect the completion rate and the quality of bowel preparation for VCE. However, elderly patients have fewer normal studies and more angiodysplasias and tumors in the small bowel.