title: Evaluation of discomfort during colonoscopy with conventional and ultrathin colonoscopes in ulcerative colitis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), colonoscopy is an essential procedure for evaluating mucosal damage, and treatment outcomes. A new flexible ultrathin colonoscope (PCF-PQ260) has been developed to readily pass through tortuous and narrow lesions of the colon and cause minimum patient discomfort. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the comfort and performance of this new type of scope in UC patients who underwent colonoscopy for estimation of mucosal inflammation, basically without sedation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective, single-center setting, among 107 UC patients who were to undergo colonoscopy, 84 eligible cases were randomly assigned to the new ultrathin flexible colonoscope, PCF-PQ260 (n = 42) or to a conventional colonoscope, PCF-Q260A (n = 42). Main outcome measure was patient pain level determined by visual analogue scale (VAS) with 0 = none, and 100 = extremely painful. Other outcomes were cecal intubation time, rate of complete intubation (to reach the cecum) and rate of procedural complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VAS score was significantly lower in the new-scope group as compared with the conventional-scope group: mean ± SD, median (range): 19.3 ± 16.9, 14 (0-62) vs 32.0 ± 21.6, 31.8 (0-100, P = 0.005). However, cecal intubation rate (97.6%) and time (4 min) were similar in the two groups. There was no procedure-related serious complication in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings indicated that the flexible ultrathin colonoscope PCF-PQ260 has significantly better tolerability in UC patients compared to a conventional colonoscope.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohda
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagase
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kono
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tozawa
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iimuro
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hida
authors.forename: Tadayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Kazutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watari
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hiroto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miwa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020685:Colonoscopes; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: colonoscopy; discomfort of colonoscopy; randomized control trial; thin colonoscope; ulcerative colitis