This study aims to compare split-dose vs. same-morning whole-dose of 2-litre PEG-ELS plus bisacodyl for bowel preparation for morning outpatient colonoscopy.
A good bowel preparation regime is one that is not only effective in cleansing the colon but should be relatively small in volume and well-tolerated by patients with minimal adverse gastrointestinal symptoms. At our centre, reduced-volume 2-litre PEG-ELS plus bisacodyl and low fiber diet is used for bowel preparation for patients undergoing colonoscopy. Patients undergoing morning outpatient colonoscopy would normally ingest the PEG-ELS and bisacodyl the day before. This regime has been shown to be better tolerated by patients without compromising the quality of bowel preparation when compared with conventional 4-liter PEG-ELS. However, previous study on patient satisfaction found that nearly half of the patients attending the outpatient colonoscopy service at our centre were dissatisfied with the bowel preparation regime used. Of the seven items considered in the evaluation of patient satisfaction, comfort level during bowel preparation was the main cause of unfavorable responses. Moreover, a separate study using the same bowel preparation regime at our centre found a high percentage of poor quality bowel preparation, which was associated with increased technical difficulty and patient discomfort during colonoscopy. There was clearly a need for a better bowel preparation regime. Current literature suggests that either taking reduced-volume PEG-ELS on the same morning instead of the previous evening, or splitting the bowel preparation, would be better. However, whether the former or the latter is better, is unknown. The aim of our study was to compare the use of same-morning whole-dose reduced-volume PEG-ELS and split-dose reduced-volume PEG-ELS for bowel preparation for patients undergoing morning outpatient colonoscopy.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
303
2 tablets of bisacodyl 5 mg at 8 p.m. two days before colonoscopy Low fibre diet and 2 tablets of bisacodyl 5 mg at 8 p.m. on the day before colonoscopy 1-L PEG-ELS between 8 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. on the day before and 1-L PEG-ELS between 5.30 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the day of colonoscopy
2 tablets of bisacodyl 5 mg at 8 p.m. two days before colonoscopy Low fibre diet and 2 tablets of bisacodyl 5 mg at 8 p.m. on the day before colonoscopy 2-L PEG-ELS between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the day of colonoscopy
Endoscocpy Unit, University of Malaya Medical Centre
Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Quality of bowel preparation
Using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale and an overall grading by the endoscopist
Time frame: During the colonoscopy procedure itself which spans an average of 20 minutes
Patient tolerability
Using the questionnaire by Aronchick and colleagues and an ordinal five-value Likert scale question on comfort level during bowel preparation
Time frame: The period from commencement of bowel preparation to the colonoscopy procedure itself which spans approximately 36 hours
Technical aspects of colonoscopy
Cecal intubation rate, cecal intubation, withdrawal and colonoscopy times, adenoma detection rate and number of adenoma detected are recorded
Time frame: During the colonoscopy procedure itself which spans an average of 20 minutes
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