A prospective randomised study comparing polyethylene glycol and sodium phosphate bowel cleansing solutions for colonoscopy

Polyethylene glycol (Klean-Prep, Norgine) is widely used for bowel cleansing in the United Kingdom. This study compares the efficacy, acceptability and adverse effects of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution with sodium phosphate (Fleet Phospho-soda, De Witt) for bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy. Two hundred and nine consecutive patients were prospectively randomised to either PEG or sodium phosphate (SP) preparation. The endoscopist was blinded to the randomisation process. Fifty patients were excluded from the study because of previous colectomies or incomplete data. Of the remaining 159 patients, 88 had been randomised to the PEG group and 71 to the SP group. There was no difference in sex distribution between the groups. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of patient acceptability, side effects (nausea/vomiting and abdominal cramps), adequacy of bowel preparation and colonoscopy completion rates. 74% of the PEG and 70.4% of the SP group were rated by the endoscopist as having good or excellent bowel preparation. Sodium phosphate is well tolerated without additional side effects when compared with PEG solution. Both solutions were found to be equally effective in bowel cleansing.