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. 2020 Mar;8(3):E396-E400.
doi: 10.1055/a-1073-7653. Epub 2020 Feb 21.

Defining gastrointestinal transit time using video capsule endoscopy: a study of healthy subjects

John O'Grady  1   2 , Clodagh L Murphy  1   2 , Lillian Barry  3 , Fergus Shanahan  1   2 , Martin Buckley  3
Affiliations

Defining gastrointestinal transit time using video capsule endoscopy: a study of healthy subjects

John O'Grady et al. Endosc Int Open. 2020 Mar.

Abstract

Background and study aims Determining the etiology and location of gastrointestinal motility disorders can be challenging. A range of investigations targeting specific areas of gastrointestinal transit are available, but many provide clinical data for a given gastrointestinal region alone or for non-specific whole gut transit, and are otherwise of limited use. Video capsule endoscopy allows endoscopic visualisation of the entire gastrointestinal tract, and may also provide more specific data for regional transit time abnormalities. Patients and methods Data from video capsules ingested by 71 ambulatory healthy subjects were recorded and analyzed to determine gastric and small bowel transit times in the fasting state. Results Median, and interquartile range (IQR), gastric transit time was 22 (10-48) minutes, and median (IQR) small bowel transit time was 198.5 (157-240.5) minutes. Conclusion These data, for the first time to our knowledge, provide references for gastrointestinal transit times among healthy ambulatory subjects using video capsule endoscopy. This potentially strengthens clinical use of video capsule endoscopy in the investigation of patients with suspected gastrointestinal motility disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests Dr. Shanahan, Dr. O’Grady, and Dr. Murphy are funded, in part, by Science Foundation Ireland (APC/SFI/12/RC/2273) in the form of a research center, APC Microbiome Ireland. Dr. Shanahan is a cofounder, shareholder in Atlantia Food Clinical Trials, 4 D Pharma Cork, Alimentary Health. He is the director of APC Microbiome Ireland, a research center funded in part by Science Foundation Ireland (APC/SFI/12/RC/2273) and which has recently been in receipt of research grants from AbbVie, Alimentary Health, Cremo, Danone, Janssen, Friesland- Campina, General Mills, Kerry, Mead Johnson, Nutricia, 4 D Pharma and Second Genome, and Sigmoid Pharma.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Examples of first gastric, duodenal and caecal images recorded using video capsule endoscopy. These images identify landmarks that allow gastric and small intestinal transit time calculation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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