title: A randomized controlled trial comparing polyethylene glycol + ascorbic acid with sodium picosulphate + magnesium citrate solution for bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adequate bowel cleansing which is acceptable to the patient is a prerequisite for safe and effective colonoscopy. A 2-L polyethylene glycol solution containing ascorbic acid and electrolytes (PEG-Asc) is an alternative to sodium picosulphate + magnesium citrate (SPS-Mg) for bowel preparation. The aim of the current study is to compare PEG-Asc to SPS-Mg in terms of tolerability and efficacy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single blind, randomized controlled trial. A blinded assessment of bowel cleansing was made by the attending endoscopist. Patients completed a questionnaire on the acceptability of the preparation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and thirty (130) consecutive patients attending for day case colonoscopy were randomly allocated to bowel preparation with PEG-Asc (n = 66) or SPS-Mg (n = 64). More patients found PEG-Asc to taste unpleasant (37.9 vs. 10.9%, P < 0.001) and more patients found PEG-Asc to be a more distressing preparation than SPS-Mg (15.1 vs. 4.7%, P = 0.043). However, there was no difference in the proportion of patients being able to complete bowel preparation (PEG-Asc vs. SPS-Mg, 92.4 vs. 93.8%, P = 0.520). There was no detectable difference between PEG-Asc and SPS-Mg in the quality of cleansing with a good or very good preparation being reported by the endoscopist in 46.9 and 54.5% of cases, respectively (P = 0.242).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More patients find PEG-Asc to taste unpleasant and to be a more distressing preparation than SPS-Mg. However, there was no detectable difference between PEG-Asc and SPS-Mg in bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Dublin, Ireland. sahebalm@tcd.ie.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sahebally
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Dublin, Ireland. johnburke@rcsi.ie.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mabadeje
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geoghegan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002400:Cathartics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002951:Citrates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010847:Picolines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D002400:Cathartics; D002951:Citrates; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010847:Picolines; D019343:Citric Acid; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C005701:picosulfate sodium; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; C110422:magnesium citrate
keywords: Ascorbic acid; Bowel preparation; Colonoscopy; Magnesium citrate; Polyethylene glycol; Sodium picosulphate