Quality of small bowel preparation for video-capsule endoscopy. Prospective comparison of two different preparations.
OBJECTIVE
The best preparation for successful small bowel video-capsule endoscopy (VCE) is still unknown. The primary aim of our study was to compare sodium phosphate (PS) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) purge on the quality of small bowel preparation.


METHODS
In this prospective, non-randomized, two centers study, we evaluated 47 and 48 consecutive outpatients who received PS and PEG preparations, respectively. Two independent investigators measured the proportion of small bowel transit time (SBTT) without clean mucosa. Two other investigators assessed bowel preparation independently, using a visual analogue scale (VAS).


RESULTS
The proportion of SBTT without clean mucosa was similar for both preparations, in the proximal [3.8 (2.1-8.7) % vs. 4.85 (2.7-9.7) %, p = 0.24)] and in the distal half [31.9 (10.7-52.5) % vs. 22.9 (6.9-57.7) %, p = 0.48] of VCE recording. There was moderate - good correlation of VAS assessment of bowel preparation with the proportion of SBTT without clean mucosa in the proximal (r = 0.69, p < 0.001) and in the distal half (r = 0.76, p < 0.001) of the recording. The outcome measures of the studies were similar for both preparations.


CONCLUSIONS
PS and PEG preparations result in similar quality of small bowel preparation and similar outcome measures of VCE studies. VAS assessment could be an alternative measure of bowel preparation in clinical practice.
Triantafyllou
Konstantinos
K
Hepatogastroenterology Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine - Propaedeutic, Medical School, Athens University, "Attikon" University General Hospital, Athens, Greece. ktriant@med.uoa.gr
Kalantzis
Chryssostomos
C
Papadopoulos
Aggelos A
AA
Apostolopoulos
Pericles
P
Ladas
Dimitris
D
Kalli
Theodora
T
Kakavetsi
Vassiliki
V
Kalantzis
Nikolaos
N
Ladas
Spiros D
SD
D053704:Capsule Endoscopy; D002400:Cathartics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007421:Intestine, Small; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010710:Phosphates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D002400:Cathartics; D010710:Phosphates; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C018279:sodium phosphate