Capsule endoscopy in adult celiac disease: a potential role in equivocal cases of celiac disease?

Abstract

Background: There have been limited studies evaluating capsule endoscopy (CE) in equivocal celiac disease (CD).

Objective: To determine the role CE may have in equivocal CD cases, compared with patients with biopsy-proven and serology-proven CD who have persisting symptoms.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: University hospital.

Patients: A total of 62 patients with equivocal CD and 69 patients with nonresponsive CD.

Intervention: CE.

Main outcome measurements: Diagnostic yield of CE in equivocal cases and accuracy of mucosal abnormality detection in patients with nonresponsive CD.

Results: Equivocal cases (n = 62) were divided into two subgroups: group A (antibody-negative villous atrophy, n = 32) and group B (Marsh 1-2 changes, n = 30). In group A, CE secured a diagnosis of CD or Crohn's disease in 28% (9/32), significantly higher than the diagnostic yield in group B (7%; P = .044). In patients with CD with persisting symptoms, significant CE findings were identified in 12% (8/69), including 2 cases of enteropathy-associated lymphoma, 4 type 1 refractory disease cases, 1 polypoidal mass histologically confirmed to be a fibroepithelial polyp, and 1 case of ulcerative jejunitis. This outcome was significantly lower than the diagnostic yield of CE in antibody-negative villous atrophy (P = .048).

Limitations: Single center.

Conclusion: There have been no previous reports systematically evaluating equivocal CD by using CE. The diagnostic yield of CE in patients with antibody-negative villous atrophy is better than that of CE in patients with CD with persisting symptoms. We advocate the use of CE in equivocal cases, particularly in patients with antibody-negative villous atrophy.