Background and study aims: Video capsule endoscopy has shown promise for the surveillance of significant small-bowel polyps in patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. In this study the yield of significant small-bowel polyps by capsule endoscopy was compared to the yield of these polyps by barium follow-through in adults with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.
Patients and methods: A total of 19 adults with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome who were undergoing surveillance underwent both capsule endoscopy and barium follow-through examinations, and the number of small-bowel polyps of at least 1 cm in diameter that were detected was recorded for each method. The two methods were assessed in terms of comfort and convenience for the patients and their preferred future surveillance method, using a questionnaire.
Results: Capsule endoscopy detected a median of four significant small-bowel polyps while barium follow-through detected a median of one (P = 0.008). There was a trend towards more participants having at least one significant small-bowel polyp detected by capsule endoscopy than was the case with barium follow-through, though capsule endoscopy seemed to be less reliable for accurate sizing of polyps that were at the limit of clinical significance. Most participants expressed a preference for capsule endoscopy for future surveillance.
Conclusions: Capsule endoscopy should replace barium follow-through for the surveillance of small-bowel polyps in adults with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, but the findings of this study should be interpreted with caution until a more reliable means of sizing polyps by capsule endoscopy is available.