Quality of bowel preparation for colonoscopy in patients on glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists

Abstract

Background and Aims

We aimed to assess the quality of bowel preparation in a matched cohort of patients actively using and not using glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in a large health system in the United States.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of adult patients undergoing colonoscopy in 22 endoscopy units across 18 sites in the United States.

Results

Our cohort comprised 6235 patients (3344 case patients and 2891 control patients). Baseline variables causing suboptimal bowel preparation were setting of procedure (inpatient), sex (male), body mass index (higher), type 2 diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease, opioid medications, heart failure, and cirrhosis. Total Boston Bowel Preparation Scale was significantly higher in control patients even after controlling for the mentioned variables (P < .01). Case patients were significantly more likely to meet the definition of inadequate bowel preparation. There was no significant difference between different classes of GLP-1 RAs.

Conclusions

Patients using GLP-1 RAs are more likely to have inadequate bowel preparation during colonoscopy, even accounting for other comorbidities.