A Retrospective Comparative Study of Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy in Children and Adults

Corresponding author: WU Zhi-xuan, wuzhixuan2003@126.com

DOI: 10.12201/bmr.202606.00045

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  Abstract: Objective To compare the characteristics and detected lesions of small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) between pediatric and adult populations, providing a reference for adjusting age-specific clinical examination strategies. Methods Clinical data were retrospectively collected from 881 patients who underwent SBCE at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between August 2011 and February 2021. Patients were divided into the pediatric group (<18 years) and the adult group (≥18 years). The distribution of clinical indication and detected lesions was analyzed, and differences in gastric transit time (GTT), small bowel transit time (SBTT), completion examination rate (CER), and detection rate (DR) were compared between the two groups. Results The main clinical indication in the pediatric group were suspected/diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease (33.33%), abdominal pain (30.36%), and suspected small bowel bleeding (27.98%), whereas those in the adult group were abdominal pain (39.69%) and suspected small bowel bleeding (30.86%). The pediatric group had a longer GTT than the adult group, but a shorter SBTT than the adult group (P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed that the differences in GTT and SBTT between children ≤ 12 years old and adults were both statistically significant (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in CER or DR between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was a significant difference in the detected lesions between the pediatric and adult groups (P < 0.05). Ulcers (41.80%) were the most common lesions in the pediatric group, while inflammation and erosion (40.64%) were the most common lesions in the adult group. Stratified analysis by clinical indication revealed that, under the same indications, there were no significant differences in the spectrum of detected lesions between the pediatric and adult groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion SBCE shows favorable clinical value in the detection of small bowel diseases in both pediatric and adult populations. Closer monitoring of gastric transit is recommended for children ≤ 12 years old. Since clinical indications can indicate potential lesion types, image interpretation should focus on key lesions in conjunction with specific clinical indications.

  Key words: Child; Capsule Endoscopy; Small Intestine; Gastrointestinal Transit; Intestinal Diseases

  Submit time: 12 June 2026

  Copyright: The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted biomedRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.
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