DOUBLE-BLIND PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY COMPARING POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL TO LACTULOSE FOR BOWEL PREPARATION IN COLONOSCOPY

Background

Colonoscopy is the most frequent exam used to evaluate colonic mucosa, allowingthe diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. The appropriate bowel preparation isindispensable for the realization of colonoscopy. Therefore, it is necessary theuse of laxative medications, preferentially by oral administration.

Aim

To compare two medications used in bowel preparation in adult patients going toambulatory colonoscopy and to analyze the patients'' profile.

Methods

A double-blind prospective study with 200 patients, randomized in two groups: onethat received polyethilene glycol and another that received lactulose. Thepatients answered to questionnaires to data compilation, as tolerance, symptomsand complications related to preparation. Besides, it was also evaluated theprepare efficacy related to the presence of fecal residue.

Results

Intestinal habit alterations and abdominal pain were the main reasons to realizethe exams and hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity. Ten percent of theones who received lactulose didn''t get to finish the preparation and 50%considered the taste "bad, but tolerable". The most common subjective symptomafter the medication was nausea, especially after lactulose. During the exam, mostof the patients who used lactulose had a "light discomfort" and the ones who usedpolyethilene glycol considered the discomfort as "tolerable". The quality of thepreparation was good in 75%, undependable of the medication that was used.

Conclusion

Polyethilene glycol was more tolerable when compared to lactulose, withoutdifference on the quality of the preparation.