Objective: The evaluation of GI-pill gastrointestinal electronic capsule for colonic transit test in patients with slow transit constipation (STC) was studied.
Materials and methods: STC patients (n = 162) were randomly divided into experimental group (n = 84, orally taken GI-pill gastrointestinal electronic capsule and X-ray granule capsule) and control group (n = 78, orally taken X-ray granule capsule). Comparison of the time in colonic transit test between the two groups was conducted. The data of GI-pill gastrointestinal electronic capsule in vivo time, time of capsule passing through the colon, the number of high amplitude propagating contractions (HAPCs), and physiological response ratio were analyzed.
Results: There were no significant differences in the whole colonic transit test time, right colonic transit time, left colonic transit time, and rectosigmoid colonic transit time between experimental group and control group (p > 0.05). All patients had no abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, black stool, difficulty in electronic capsule excretion, or any other discomfort during the test.
Conclusion: GI-pill gastrointestinal electronic capsule can continuously evaluate the dynamic characteristics of digestive tract in STC patients and is consistent with X-ray granule capsule, which is meaningful to clinical application.
Keywords: Colonic transit test; Electronic capsule; GI-pill; Slow transit constipation.