Age and Video Capsule Endoscopy in Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Prospective Study on Hospitalized Patients

The influence of aging on video capsule endoscopy (VCE) in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) has never been prospectively assessed. To demonstrate if age is a risk factor for incomplete VCE examination in a setting of ongoing hospitalization for OGIB and if it affects the yield of VCE. Forty-eight consecutive patients referred to our unit for obscure-overt GI bleeding from March 2007 to September 2009 were prospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups according to their age: a parts per thousand currency sign65 years (group A) and > 65 years (group B). The VCE completion rate and clinically significant findings were studied. The cecum was reached in 73% of patients. There was no difference between the two groups of patients in the VCE completion rate (78% vs. 68%, P = 0.4). The overall diagnostic yield was 61%. A significant difference in the diagnostic yield between group A and group B (45% vs. 75%, P = 0.04) was shown. Angiodysplasia was diagnosed in 13 out of 24 (54%) patients of group B, whereas mucosal breaks, such as erosions or ulcers, accounted for over a quarter of the group A findings. Old age is not a risk factor for incomplete VCE examination and it is associated with increased VCE yield.