Patency Capsule and Cross-Sectional Imaging for Predicting Capsule Endoscopy Retention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Aims: Small bowel capsule endoscopy, which has been widely used to evaluate small bowel disease, has a risk of capsule retention (CR). The present systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the accuracy of patency capsule (PC) and cross-sectional imaging (CSI) for predicting CR.

Methods: Databases, including MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and the Cochrane library, were searched for articles through August 15, 2023, that investigated the diagnostic accuracy of PC or CSI for predicting CR. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated using a bivariate random-effects model. The false-negative rates of PC and CSI were separately analyzed and compared using a single-proportion meta-analysis based on random-effects modeling.

Results: Twenty-three articles (covering 3273 patients) including 17 assessing PC (involving 3051 patients), 4 assessing CSI (involving 140 patients), and 2 assessing both PC and CSI (involving 82 patients) were identified. CSI had a pooled sensitivity and specificity for predicting CR of 54% (95% confidence interval [CI], 21-84%) and 88% (95% CI, 67-97%), respectively, whereas PC had a pooled sensitivity and specificity for predicting CR of 75% (95% CI, 43-92%) and 94% (95% CI, 90-96%), respectively. PC showed a significantly higher specificity (P = 0.05) and lower pooled false-negative rate than CSI (2.7% [95% CI, 1.3-5.4%] vs. 12.8% [95% CI, 6.1-25.0%]; P = 0.001).

Conclusions: PC showed demonstrated comparable sensitivity, significantly higher specificity, and significantly lower false-negative rate than CSI. PC may be a more reliable modality for predicting CR than CSI.

Keywords: Capsule endoscopy; Crohn’s disease; Magnetic resonance imaging; Small intestine; Stricture.