2L polyethylene glycol combined with castor oil versus 4L polyethylene glycol for bowel preparation before colonoscopy among inpatients

Abstract Objectives: The study aimed to compare the cleansing effect, compliance and adverse of polyethylene glycol 2L with castor oil and polyethylene glycol 4L on bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy in inpatients.Methods: Our study retrospectively analyzed the medical records and colonoscopy reports of inpatients (n=673) who underwent colonoscopy at the Affiliated Changzhou No.2 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, and the inpatients were divided into two groups according to different bowel preparation protocols. BBPS is used to assess the degree of bowel cleanliness before colonoscopy. We statistically analyzed and compared the degree of bowel cleansing between 2L-PEG-CaO and 4L-PEG group, as well as the compliance and adverse effects of the medication in both groups.Results: Among 673 patients undergoing colonoscopy, 330 were prescribed 4L-PEG and 343 2L-PEG-CAO. Both groups of inpatients were matched for baseline characteristics. In the 4L-PEG and 2L-PEG-CaO groups, adequate bowel preparation rate was 72.4% and 77.3% (P=0.148), BBPS scores was 6.79±1.51 and 7.03±1.71 (P=0.056), and adverse event rate was 68.2% and 30.0% (P<0.001), respectively.Conclusion: The 2L-PEG combined with castor oil is an effective and safe cleansing regimen for bowel preparation and is relatively inexpensive and suitable for wider use.