AUTHOR=Xu Pingping , Luo Dan , Wang Baoxiang , Liu Yingru , Tang Siyue , Guo Shan , Yu Zhi , Zheng Leyong , Feng Jie , Huang Huifen , Gao Yuan , Wang Fang , Su Wei 
  
TITLE=Clinical application of capsule endoscopy in children with small bowel disease in Wuhan, China
  
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology
  
VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1714118
  
DOI=10.3389/fphys.2025.1714118
  
ISSN=1664-042X
  
ABSTRACT=ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical application value of capsule endoscopy (CE) in the diagnosis of small intestinal diseases in children in Wuhan.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of children who underwent CE examination at the Digestive Endoscopy Center of Wuhan Children’s Hospital from July 2021 to November 2024. The completion rate of CE examination, disease detection rate, small intestinal transit time, and adverse reactions were analyzed.ResultsAmong the 151 children, 97 were male (64.24%) and 54 were female (35.76%), with an average age of 10.9 years. CE was swallowed orally in 133 cases (88.08%) and placed through gastroscopy in 18 cases (11.92%). Complete small intestinal examination was achieved in 144 cases (95.36%), with an average small intestinal transit time of 4 h and 11 min for those swallowed orally and 4 h and 16 min for those placed through gastroscopy. Seven cases (4.64%) did not complete the full small intestinal examination. Abdominal pain (99 cases, 65.56%), anemia (19 cases, 12.58%), and hematochezia and melena (23 cases, 15.23%) were the most common indications for examination. Among the 151 children, 116 (76.82%) had positive results, including 68 cases of nonspecific small intestinal inflammation, 29 cases of Crohn’s disease, 4 cases of Henoch-Schönlein purpura, 6 cases of Meckel’s diverticulum, 4 cases of small intestinal parasitic disease, 2 cases of collagenous gastritis, 1 case of melanocytic polyp, 1 case of lymphangiectasia, and 1 case of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome. Nonspecific small intestinal inflammation was the most common in all age groups, while Crohn’s disease was mainly seen in the 7–12 years and 13–18 years age groups, accounting for 55.17% and 44.83%, respectively. No adverse reactions occurred in all children.ConclusionCE examination in children in Wuhan has a high disease detection rate and good safety. CE can be further promoted in the diagnosis of small intestinal diseases in children.