Usefulness of Evaluating Small-intestinal Mucosa in Mild Crohn's Disease (CD) Using Capsule Endoscopy (CE)

<Background and Aim>Patency capsule was approved on July 2012, so CE enables non-invasive observation of small-intestine in CD. Using CE, we noticed that CD patients with normality on blood test or no symptoms sometimes have small-intestinal mucosal lesions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of evaluating small-intestinal mucosa in mild active CD using CE.<Methods>Forty-seven consecutive CD patients who underwent CE were analyzed using Lewis score (LS) on CE reading software and Capsule Endoscopy Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CECDAI). The relations between Clinical index of CD and CE scores were evaluated.<Results>Mean age of the subjects was 37.6±13.4 years old. Median IOIBD assessment score was 0 (0-5). Median LS and CECDAI was respectively 225 (0-4728) and 6 (0-24). There was positive correlation between LS and CECDAI (r=0.596, p<0.001). There was negative correlation between CECDAI and serum Albumin level (Alb) (r=-0.438, p=0.0023). There was not any factor that correlated with LS. However, scatter diagram showed that there were not a few patients who have high CE scores in normal CRP levels or low IOIBD assessment score. <Conclusion> CE could detect small-intestinal mucosal lesions which couldn't be pointed out by symptoms or blood test such as CRP or Alb. Especially, CE is useful for asymptomatic CD.