Opioid Use Is Not Associated with Incomplete Wireless Capsule Endoscopy for Inpatient or Outpatient Procedures

Objective. Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is commonly used to directly visualize the small bowel. Opioids have variably been linked with incomplete studies and prolonged transit times in heterogeneous cohorts. We aimed to investigate the effect of opioid use on WCE for inpatient and outpatient cohorts. Methods. We performed a retrospective review of patients receiving WCE at our institution from April 2010 to March 2013. Demographic data, medical history, and WCE details were collected. Transit times were compared by log-rank analysis. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models were utilized. Results. We performed 314 outpatient and 280 inpatient WCE that met study criteria. In the outpatient cohort, gastric transit time (GTT) was not significantly different between opioid and nonopioid users. Completion rates were similar as well (88% and 87%, ). In the inpatient cohort, GTT was significantly longer in patients receiving opioids than in patients not receiving opioids (44 versus 23？min, ), but completion rates were similar (71% versus 75%, ). Conclusion. Opioid use within 24 hours of WCE did not significantly affect completion rates for inpatients or outpatients. GTT was prolonged in inpatients receiving opioids but not in outpatients. 1. Introduction Wireless capsule endoscopy has become an increasingly popular method to image the small bowel since its introduction in 2000 [1]. WCE is currently used for many indications and can be performed in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Despite the increased use of WCE, there are still a significant number of incomplete studies where the WCE does not reach the cecum during the battery lifespan. The current literature suggests that WCE completion is only accomplished in 83.5% of studies [2]. Multiple previous studies have identified inpatient capsule endoscopy as having a higher rate of incomplete studies as compared to outpatient procedures [3–6]. Other reported risk factors for incomplete studies include medications, systemic medical conditions, immobility, and previous small bowel surgery [3–5, 7]. To our knowledge, there has not been a large scale study to date looking at the effect of opioids on WCE transit times and completion rates. With the increasing rates of opioid use, this information would be of benefit to centers that perform WCE. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of medications, specifically opioids, and other systemic medical conditions on WCE transit times and completion rates in both inpatients and outpatients at a tertiary care