Effectiveness of Capsule Endoscopy and Double-Balloon Enteroscopy in Suspected Complicated Celiac Disease

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Capsule Endoscopy Findings in Celiac Disease

Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a noninvasive imaging method used to evaluate intestinal mucosa. We aimed to examine intestinal mucosal changes in celiac disease (CD) with CE. Eight untreated patients who had anti-endomysial antibody-positive duodenal biopsy results consistent with CD were included in the study. Villous atrophy, scalloping, fissuring, and mosaic pattern (consistent with CD) were detected in seven patients; one patient was excluded for early meal consumption. No patchy involvement was found in the intestine or distal region of the intestine (ileum) in any of the patients. The common feature of all patients was that villous atrophy, scalloping, fissuring, and mosaic patterns detected in the proximal intestine gradually decreased towards the distal intestine. CE provided no diagnostic contribution to CD when compared with duodenal biopsy. It can be used to show villous atrophy in selected cases and to evaluate the extension of intestinal involvement in CD.     

Increased Sedation Requirements During Endoscopy in Patients with Celiac Disease

Background  

Celiac disease (CD) is associated with increased rates of neuropsychiatric disease and irritable bowel syndrome, and patients may exhibit visceral hypersensitivity.     

The Role of Endoscopy in Suspected Amebiasis

The diagnosis of amebic colitis can be difficult and confusing. The gross endoscopic appearance as well as the results of endoscopic biopsy can be extremely helpful in differentiating amebiasis from other forms of colitis. Clinical symptoms, laboratory studies, x-ray findings, cultures, and even serological studies may not be sufficient for making an accurate diagnosis. To illustrate the potential difficulties we are reporting three patients in whom the diagnosis of amebiasis was considered but in whom endoscopy was important for arriving at the correct diagnosis.     

Diagnosis of Suspected Small Bowel Bleeding by Capsule Endoscopy in Patients with COVID-19

The current study evaluated the application of small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients with suspected small bowel bleeding. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, SBCE procedures, examination results, and treatment for cases of suspected small bowel bleeding in two patients with critical COVID-19. SBCE showed active spotting bleeding in the jejunum and ileum with no identifiable lesions in case 1, while multiple small bowel ulcers were detected in case 2. Two patients had relevant changes in their management plans and received specific treatment based on SBCE findings. In summary, SBCE proved to be a non-invasive diagnostic tool for critical COVID-19 patients with suspected small bowel bleeding.     

Frequency of Celiac Disease and Spontaneous Normalization Rate of Celiac Serology in Children and Adolescent Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

Objective:The prevalence of celiac disease (CD) varies between 1% and 10% in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). This study aimed to determine the frequency of spontaneous recovery of celiac serology and the biopsy-proven CD (BPCD) frequency in patients with T1DM.Methods:The data of 668 patients with available celiac serology tests from a total of 779 patients who were followed for the last 10 years with the diagnosis of T1DM were retrospectively evaluated.Results:Positive serology was detected in 103 out of 668 (15.4%) patients. There was spontaneous normalization in 24 (23.3%), fluctuation in 11 (10.7%) and permanently positive serology in 68 (66%). In 46 out of 53 (86.8%) patients with positive serology and biopsy, CD diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy (BPCD). The frequency of BPCD was 6.9%, and the serology in 76.1% was positive at the time of diagnosis of T1DM. The weight, height and body mass index-standard deviation score at diagnosis were lower in patients with BPCD compared to the group without CD. An anti-tissue transglutaminase-IgA (anti-TTG-IgA) level of 11.8 times the upper limit of normal was the most sensitive (93%) and specific (90%) cut-off for BPCD (area under the curve: 0.95; 95% confidence interval: 0.912-1; p<0.001).Conclusion:In our cohort, the frequency of positive serology for CD was 15.4%, while the rate of BPCD was 6.9%. The majority (97.8%) of cases were diagnosed within the first five years of T1DM. In 23.3% of cases, positive anti-TTG-IgA spontaneously resolved without a gluten-free diet (GFD). Therefore, serological follow-up instead of immediate duodenal biopsy or GFD therapy, particularly for patients with asymptomatic and mild anti-TTG IgA level, is warranted.     

A Blinded Pilot Comparison of Capsule Endoscopy and Small Bowel Histology in Unresponsive Celiac Disease

This study compares video capsule endoscopy (VCE) with histological specimens of proximal small bowel in patients with celiac disease who have failed to respond to a gluten-free diet. Patients with nonresponsive celiac disease underwent capsule endoscopy, and concordance between endoscopy and histology was then calculated using the kappa statistic. In 19 patients, endoscopy videos were reported as normal in ten (53%) case, as having mild changes in three (16%) cases, and as having moderate-severe changes in six (31%) cases. Two (11%) had acute ulcers. No small bowel tumors were seen. Endoscopy demonstrated concordance with histological changes in 14 of the 18 patients with histology available (78% concordance). The kappa statistic suggested a substantial degree of concordance between histology and endoscopic findings. Endoscopy with distal duodenal biopsies is superior to VCE in detecting proximal, nonresponsive celiac disease, but more distal lesions may be missed such that the strength of VCE lies in its ability to visualize the entire small bowel.     

Sarcoidosis in Patients with Celiac Disease

Purpose Several case reports and European studies have suggested an association between sarcoidosis and celiac disease; however, they have been inconsistent. We therefore analyzed a large cohort of celiac-disease patients to assess this association. Methods An anonymized database of patients with celiac disease was reviewed to determine the number of patients with sarcoidosis. Age- and gender-adjusted standardized morbidity ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by comparing results to US-population-derived prevalence data. Results Ten patients were found to have a comorbid diagnosis of sarcoidosis, representing an age- and gender-adjusted standardized morbidity ratio of 36.8 (95% CI 26.7–50.9). Conclusions In this cohort of patients with celiac disease, there was a significantly increased risk of sarcoidosis when compared with the American white population. This further strengthens prior associations that have been made suggesting a shared mechanism behind the etiologies of celiac disease and sarcoidosis.     

Prevalence of Silent Celiac Disease in Patients with Dyspepsia

Celiac disease (CD) has become more common than in the past, although it frequently remains undetected for long periods of time. One reason for this is failure by health care professionals to recognize the variable clinical manifestations of CD and to perform the appropriate tests to make the diagnosis. Although dyspepsia may be part of a clinical spectrum in CD patients, there are scarce data about its prevalence in silent CD. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CD in otherwise healthy dyspeptic patients by means of serologic screening followed by endoscopic biopsies if appropriate. Anti-endomysium antibody assay was positive in 3 of 196 patients. All 3 were female, ages ranged from 19–52 years (mean ± SD age, 36±16 years). Duodenal biopsies were compatible with CD in all, whereas abnormal endoscopic findings were noted in 2. Therefore, a 1.5% prevalence of CD was observed in this study group. The odds ratio for CD was 2.57 (95% confidence interval) in comparison with the general population. CD should be kept in mind as a cause of dyspepsia during clinical activities. The association between these 2 conditions is, at most, weak, but a gluten-free diet may still bring symptomatic relief for dyspeptic symptoms in CD. During endoscopic examination for dyspepsia, if indicated, endoscopists should carefully inspect the duodenum for CD findings. Although routine serologic screening can not be recommended, it may be appropriate for the patients with refractory dyspepsia, especially females.