Correlation between predicted and actual consequences of capsule endoscopy on patient management.

Background: Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a relatively new diagnostic modality in the evaluation of patients with suspected small bowel pathology. It is unclear to what extent physicians are able to predict the clinical consequences of CE on patient management.

Methods: In this prospective study, 180 consecutive CE examinations were analysed. Prior to CE, referring physicians were asked to indicate the consequences of CE according to potential different CE outcomes. The influence of CE on patient management was determined with at least 1 year follow-up. Management consequences were defined as major (surgical or endoscopic intervention, or medical therapy) or minor (nonspecific therapy, including iron supplementation, or no further diagnostic tests).

Results: CE led to major management consequences in 32% of cases. Of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding and normal CE findings, 91% were independent of blood transfusions and experienced no further bleeding episodes during a mean follow-up of 33 months. In 78% of 118 cases that were evaluated, the actual consequences of CE matched the consequences predicted by the referring physicians.

Conclusion: CE had a major impact on patient management in about one third of investigations. In the majority of cases, physicians adequately predicted the clinical consequences of CE.