Diagnostic yield of Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy (SBCE) for the assessment of small bowel (SB) lesions is higher than radiologic imaging techniques. However, magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) data are scarce and inconclusive. Colon Capsule Endoscopy (CCE) is a new capsule modality. The primary aim of our study was to compare MRE and capsule endoscopy (CE) for the assessment of Crohn’s disease (CD). The secondary objectives were to compare the diagnostic accuracy of both CE modalities and changes in Montreal classification after each examination. We included 47 patients with established (n = 32) or suspected CD (n = 15). MRE was performed first to rule out strictures. In patients with a suspected stricture by MRE, an Agile Patency Capsule was performed. SB disease activity was measured by MaRIA score (MRE) and Lewis Index (CE). SB lesions were found in 36 of47 patients with CE and in 21 of47 patients with MRE (76.6% vs 44.7%, P = 0.001). Jejunal inflammation was detected by CE in 31.9% of patients and by MRE in 6.4% of patients (15/47 vs 3/47; P = 0.03); lesions in ileum were detected in 57.4% of patients by CE, and in 21.3% of patients by MRE (27/ 47 vs 10/ 47; P = 0.04). Finally, in terminal ileum, CE showed lesions in 68.1% (32/47) of patients, whereas MRE detected lesions in 38.3% (18/ 47 patients), (P = 0.001). The original Montreal classification was changed in 53.1% of patients (25/ 47) based on CE findings and in 12.7% of patients (6/47) based on MRE findings (P < 0.05). In our cohort CE was significantly superior to MRE for detecting SB lesions, mainly superficial and proximal lesions. CE is useful for a appropriate patients’ classification according to Montreal classification.

Background: Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) and CT colonography (CTC) are minimally invasive techniques for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Our objective is to compare CCE and CTC for the identification of patients with colorectal neoplasia among participants in a CRC screening programme with positive faecal immunochemical test (FIT). Primary outcome was to compare the performance of CCE and CTC in detecting patients with neoplastic lesions. Methods: The VICOCA study is a prospective, single-centre, randomised trial conducted from March 2014 to May 2016; 662 individuals were invited and 349 were randomised to CCE or CTC before colonoscopy. Endoscopists were blinded to the results of CCE and CTC. Results: Three hundred forty-nine individuals were included: 173 in the CCE group and 176 in the CTC group. Two hundred ninety individuals agreed to participate: 147 in the CCE group and 143 in the CTC group. In the intention-to-screen analysis, sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values for the identification of individuals with colorectal neoplasia were 98.1%, 76.6%, 93.7% and 92.0% in the CCE group and 64.9%, 95.7%, 96.8% and 57.7% in the CTC group. In terms of detecting significant neoplastic lesions, the sensitivity of CCE and CTC was 96.1% and 79.3%, respectively. Detection rate for advanced colorectal neoplasm was higher in the CCE group than in the CTC group (100% and 93.1%, respectively; RR = 1.07; p = 0.08). Both CCE and CTC identified all patients with cancer. CCE detected more patients with any lesion than CTC (98.6% and 81.0%, respectively; RR = 1.22; p = 0.002). Conclusion: Although both techniques seem to be similar in detecting patients with advanced colorectal neoplasms, CCE is more sensitive for the detection of any neoplastic lesion. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02081742. Registered: September 16, 2013.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a heterogeneous group of recurring inflammatory conditions of the digestive system that encompass both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), pose a significant public health challenge, currently lacking a definitive cure. The specific etiopathogenesis of IBD is not yet fully understood, but a multifactorial interplay of genetic and environmental factors is suspected. A growing body of evidence supports the involvement of intestinal dysbiosis in the development of IBD, including the effects of dysbiosis on the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier, modulation of the host immune system, alterations in the enteric nervous system, and the perpetuation of chronic inflammation. A comprehensive understanding of these mechanisms is important to define preventive measures, to develop new effective and lasting treatments, and to improve disease outcome. This review examines the complex tri-directional relationship between gut microbiota, mucosal immune system, and intestinal epithelium in IBD. In addition, nonpharmacological and behavioral strategies aimed at restoring a proper microbial–immune relationship will be suggested.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a successful treatment for recurrent CDI (rCDI), and in some patients FMT has been associated with the resolution of recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI). Recent evidence suggests that the origin of most bacterial infections in the urinary tract is the gut. Thus, the possibility of using FMT to displace pathogens commonly involved in rUTIs has major therapeutic implications. We report the case of a 93-year-old female patient with a rCDI and rUTI that underwent FMT and reported a complete clinical resolution of CDI; unexpectedly, no new symptomatic UTI episodes were diagnosed post-FMT. We characterized the gut microbiota of the stool donor and of the patient before and after the procedure. Our patient presented a dysbiosis with clear predominance of Enterobacteriaceae (74%) before FMT, which was significantly reduced to 0.07% after FMT. These findings were maintained for almost a year. We also observed an increase in microbial diversity indices compared with the pre-FMT sample reaching diversity values comparable to the donor stool samples. We reasoned that the disappearance of UTIs in our patient resulted from the reduction of Enterobacteriaceae in the gut microbiota. Our findings support previous evidence suggesting the potential of FMT for rUTI, particularly in cases due to multi-drug resistant pathogens where conventional antibiotic treatment is not an option.

(1) Background: Fecal calprotectin (FC) correlates well with colonic inflammatory activity of Crohn’s disease (CD); data about relation of FC and small bowel (SB) lesions are still contradictory. The main aim was to analyze the relationship between FC levels and SB inflammatory activity in patients with established or suspected Crohn’s disease, assessed by small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) or magnetic resonance enterography (MRE). (2) Methods: Two cohorts of patients were included: 1. Prospective data were collected from patients with established or suspected CD who underwent SBCE and FC (Cohort A); 2. A retrospective cohort of patients who underwent MRE and FC determination (Cohort B). Different cutoffs for FC were tested in both cohorts. (3) Results: 83 patients were included and 66 were finally analyzed. A total of 69.6% had SB lesions seen by SBCE (n = 25) or MRE (n = 21). FC mean levels were 605.74 + 607.07 μg/g (IQ range: 99.00–878.75), being significantly higher in patients with SB lesions compared to patients without lesions (735.91 + 639.70 μg/g (IQ range: 107.75–1366.25) vs. 306.35 + 395.26 μg/g (IQ range: 78.25–411.0), p < 0.005). For cohort A, 25 out of 35 patients had SB lesions and a significant correlation between Lewis Score and FC levels was achieved (R²: 0.34; p = 0.04). FC sensitivity (S), specificity (E), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive values (NPV) for predicting SB lesions were 80%, 50%, 80%, and 50%, respectively, for FC > 100 µg/g. For cohort B, inflammatory SB activity, measured by MaRIA score, was detected in 21 out of 31 patients (67.7%). Patients with positive findings in MRE had significantly higher values of FC than those with no lesions (944.9 + 672.1 µg/g vs. 221 + 212.2 µg/g, p < 0.05). S, E, PPV, and NPV of FC were 89%, 50%, 77.2%, and 71.4% for FC levels > 100 µg/g. The higher sensitivity and specificity of the FC levels for the detection of SB lesions with SBCE and MRE was obtained for an FC cutoff >265 μg/g and >430 μg/g, respectively. (4) Conclusions: FC has a good correlation with the presence of SB lesions, assessed by SBCE and MRE, in patients with established or suspected Crohn’s disease. However, the ideal cutoff is here proven to be higher than previously reported. Multicenter and large prospective studies are needed in order to establish definitive FC cutoff levels.