Video capsule endoscopy in patients with iron deficiency anaemia: experience at a regional Australian service

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify the diagnostic performance of video capsule endoscopy (VCE) among patients presenting with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) and negative bidirectional endoscopy to a gasteroendoscopy practice in regional Australia. The secondary objectives were to identify the distribution of findings and factors predictive of positive findings in a regional setting. RESULTS: In total 123 procedures were included in the study. Mean age of the patients was 67.9 years. Females made up 60.2% (n = 74) of the study population. Mean haemoglobin and ferritin levels were 93.3 g/L and 11.9 ug/L, respectively. Positive findings were present in 67 procedures (54.5%) with the most frequent finding being small bowel angiodysplasia (53.7%, n = 36/67), followed by ulceration/significant erosion (26.8%, n = 18/67), fresh blood (20.8%, n = 14/67) and tumour/polyp (16.4%, n = 11/67). Haemoglobin level was the only variable associated with positive findings (p = 0.005) in the study population. Of the procedures reporting positive findings outside the small bowel, the majority (80%) were within reach of conventional upper endoscopy and may have implications for future practice, particularly when allocating health resources in a rural setting.