Principal investigator Peter E. Legnani, MD, clinical instructor in the Division of Gastroenterology, Samuel Bronfman Department of Medicine, presented the findings in New Orleans at Digestive Disease Week, the world's largest and most prestigious meeting on gastroenterology.
Researchers found that among patients with confirmed Crohn's disease, clinical decisions based on capsule endoscopy findings improved outcomes in 95% of patients. The investigators also demonstrated that capsule endoscopy was 100 percent effective in excluding a diagnosis of Crohn's disease.
"Capsule endoscopy is a highly effective tool in the diagnosis and therapeutic decision making of patients with IBD-related illnesses," said Dr. Legnani. "The results derived from capsule endoscopy procedures positively affect patient management, helping physicians guide their treatment decisions with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes in this patient population."
The study reviewed the diagnostic findings from the capsule endoscopies of 65 patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)-related indications and examined the effect of those findings on diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes. Patients admitted to the study had evidence of IBD diagnosed through prior endoscopic procedures. The patients were segmented into suspected or confirmed Crohn's disease and further categorized by the results of previous tests. In patients with an abnormal small bowel series or abdominal pain, 30 of 32 were found not to have Crohn's. Based on a 19 month follow-up confirming the absence of Crohn's disease, capsule endoscopy demonstrated a negative predictive value of 100 percent. For those patients with known IBD and inconclusive small bowel radiography, capsule endoscopy yielded findings in 18 of 33 patients (57%). Overall, among the 20 out of 21 patients in whom capsule endoscopy yielded diagnostic findings, 20 (95%) showed clinical improvement due to therapeutic decisions guided by the diagnostic findings.
About IBD
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a global term for diseases that cause swelling and inflammation in the walls of the gut. There are two major types of IBD: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Although these are separate and distinct diseases, they display overlapping symptoms and generally respond to the same types of treatments. Roughly one million Americans suffer from IBD. While the disease can strike people of any age, it most often begins between the ages of 15 and 40. Women and men are equally likely to develop the condition.
About Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York is a world-renowned center of expertise in inflammatory bowel disease and is internationally recognized for groundbreaking clinical and basic-science research, and innovative approaches to medical education. One indication of Mount Sinai's leadership in scientific investigation is its receipt last year of more than $214 million in public and private research funding, including over $154 million in NIH grants, placing it 22nd among the nation's 125 medical schools. Mount Sinai School of Medicine is also known for unique educational programs that not only prepare students to be highly skilled care givers, but help them to reach their maximum potential as caring, well-rounded people. Long dedicated to serving its community, the School extends its boundaries to improve health care delivery, educational opportunities and quality of life for residents of East Harlem and surrounding communities.
About DDW
Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 15 - 20, 2004 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The meeting showcases approximately 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology.