To identify possible risk factors for prolonged gastric transit time (GTT) in small intestinal examination by capsule endoscopy.

A retrospective study was conducted on 384 patients who underwent small intestinal examination with the MiroCam capsule endoscopy system at the Digestive Endoscopy Center of the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2013 to December 2021, with 257 (66.9%) males and 127 (33.1%) females. The age of the patients ranged from 6 to 85 (50.92±16.95) years. According to the GTT, the patients were divided into three groups: ≤30 min, 30-90 min, and >90 min. The effects of gender, age, body mass index (BMI), history of abdominal surgery, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal insufficiency, and major clinical manifestations on the GTT in capsule endoscopy were analyzed.

There was no statistically significant difference in gender, age, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal insufficiency, or major clinical manifestations among the three groups (P＞0.05 for all). There was a significant difference in BMI and previous abdominal surgery among the three groups (P＜0.05 for both). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that low BMI (odds ratio [OR]=0.936, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.887-0.988, P=0.017) and history of abdominal surgery (OR=1.898, 95%CI: 1.200-3.003, P=0.006) were risk factors for prolonged GTT.

Patients with a low BMI and history of abdominal surgery may have longer GTT. Appropriate interventions could be given in advance to promote gastric emptying and reduce the risk of incomplete small bowel examination.