A novel capsule endoscopy for upper and mid-GI tract: the UMGI capsule.

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS: Complete and consecutive observation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract continues to present challenges for current endoscopy systems. We developed a novel upper and mid gastrointestinal (UMGI) capsule endoscopy using the modified detachable string magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy (DS-MCE) and inspection method and aimed to assess the clinical application. METHODS: Patients were recruited to undergo UMGI capsule endoscopy followed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy. All capsule procedures in the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract were conducted under the control of magnet and string. The main outcome was technical success, and the secondary outcomes included visualization of the UMGI tract, examination time, diagnostic yield, compliance, and safety evaluation. RESULTS: Thirty patients were enrolled and all UMGI capsule procedures realized repeated observation of the esophagus and duodenum with detection rates of 100.0%, 80.0%, and 86.7% of Z-line, duodenal papilla, and reverse side of pylorus, respectively. String detachment was succeeded in 29 patients (96.7%) and the complete examination rate of UMGI tract was 95.45% (21/22). All UMGI capsule procedures were well tolerated with low discomfort score, and had a good diagnostic yield with per-lesion sensitivity of 96.2% in UGI diseases. No adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: This new capsule endoscopy system provides an alternative screening modality for the UMGI tract, and might be indicated in cases of suspected upper and small bowel GI bleeding. Trial registration DS-MCE-UGI and SB, NCT04329468. Registered 27 March 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=&term=NCT04329468 .

Erratum: Noncontact magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy for infection-free gastric examination during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot, open-label, randomized trial.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1055/a-1648-2238.].

Noncontact magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy for infection-free gastric examination during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot, open-label, randomized trial.

Background and study aims Endoscopists have been at increased risk because of their direct contact with patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. For patients, being diagnosed with and monitored for gastrointestinal cancer and digestive diseases in timely fashion has been challenging, given pandemic-related adjustments in endoscopy departments. We developed a novel noncontact magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy (ncMCE) system in our medical center. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of ncMCE for gastric examination. Patients and methods Patients were randomly assigned to groups that received ncMCE or MCE in a 1:1 ratio from March 26, 2020 to April 26, 2020. Primary endpoints were feasibility assessed by completion rate (CR) and safety based on the occurrence of adverse events (AEs) including infection. Secondary endpoints included maneuverability of endoscopists, pre-procedure perception and post-procedure satisfaction of patients, gastric examination time (GET), and diagnostic yield (DY). Results Forty patients were enrolled with 100 % CR in both groups without any AEs. Neither the endoscopist nor the patients were infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) within 14 days after gastric examination. There were no significant differences in maneuverability (19.3 vs. 20.0, P  = 0.179), pre-procedure perception (9 vs. 9, P  = 0.626) and post-procedure satisfaction (45 vs. 44, P =  0.999), ord DY (20 % vs. 30 %, P  = 0.465). Conclusions ncMCE is a feasible and safe method of gastric examination, which has the potential to protect both medical staff and patients from COVID-19 infection while providing serving as an essential endoscopy service.

Intra-species sialic acid polymorphism in humans: a common niche for influenza and coronavirus pandemics?

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to more than 159 million confirmed cases with over 3.3 million deaths worldwide, but it remains mystery why most infected individuals (∼98%) were asymptomatic or only experienced mild illness. The same mystery applies to the deadly 1918 H1N1 influenza pandemic, which has puzzled the field for a century. Here we discuss dual potential properties of the 1918 H1N1 pandemic viruses that led to the high fatality rate in the small portion of severe cases, while about 98% infected persons in the United States were self-limited with mild symptoms, or even asymptomatic. These variations now have been postulated to be impacted by polymorphisms of the sialic acid receptors in the general population. Since coronaviruses (CoVs) also recognize sialic acid receptors and cause severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemics and pandemics, similar principles of influenza virus evolution and pandemicity may also apply to CoVs. A potential common principle of pathogen/host co-evolution of influenza and CoVs under selection of host sialic acids in parallel with different epidemic and pandemic influenza and coronaviruses is discussed.