Risk factors for inadequate bowel preparation for colonoscopy and comparison of bowel preparation methods in pediatrics

Objective. To study the influence of constipation in the anamnesis, diet as risk factors for inadequate bowel preparation for colonoscopy in children, after bowel preparation with sodium picosulfate with magnesium citrate , cleansing enemas or with combination of both. Patients and methods. Children (1 year – 17 years 11 months) were referred for routine colonoscopy to two children's hospitals in Moscow and were randomly assigned three types of preparation for the research. Exclusion criteria were the need for an emergency colonoscopy, kidney disease, or colectomy. All patients were prescribed low-fiber diet during three days before the procedure. Endoscopists did not know about the method of preparation and evaluated the effectiveness of preparation according to the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS ), noting the maximum depth of insertion of device (intubation of the cecum, ileum, etc.). Tolerability of methods and adherence of diet were assessed using the questionnaire for patients, as well as by the incidence of undesirable effects. The BBPS of ≥2 in 3 segments of the colon (left, transverse, right) was considered satisfactory, while BBPS <2 in more than 1 segment was considered unsatisfactory. Results. 440 children (mean age 12 years) were randomly assigned to bowel preparation with sodium picosulfate with magnesium citrate (n = 135), cleansing enemas (n = 79) or combination (n = 226) . The satisfactory result of preparation was achieved in 127 (94.1%) patients in the bowel preparation with sodium picosulfate group, in 71 (90%) in the group with cleansing enemas and in 201 (89%) using the combined method (BBPC value for bowel preparation with sodium picosulfate 7.0 (6.0–8.0), Cleansing enemas 7.0 (5.0–8.0), Combination 6.5 (6.0–8.0), p = 0.009). Analysis of logistic regression showed that age, body mass index and the presence of a diagnosis of constipation in the anamnesis did not affect (p > 0.05)to success of achieving the satisfactory result of bowel preparation in all groups (p > 0.05). However, constipation was associated with depth of insertion and intubation of the cecum and/or terminal ileum, which was 6.8 times less likely in patients with constipation (OR = 0.146; 95% CI: 0.036–0.602, p = 0.014). In patients who followed the diet, inadequate bowel preparation was observed with a probability of 7.4 times less (OR = 0.135; 95% CI: 0.053–0.345, p < 0.001). In children who followed the dosage, the probability of inadequate bowel preparation was also 7.393 times lower, regardless of the method of preparation (OR = 0.135; 95% CI: 0.053–0.345, p < 0.001). Frequency of undesirable effects between the groups was almost the same, there was no statistically significant difference (sodium picosulfate 29%, cleansing enemas 27%, combination 39%, p = 0.03). Conclusion. The results of our study show that in children without constipation on diet and adequate doses of medicines makes it easier to tolerate preparation, qualitatively prepare the intestines and conduct full colonoscopy. We consider that these criteria are the most important for bowel cleansing and the quality of the colonoscopy performed in children, regardless of the methods of colon preparation. Key words: colonoscopy, children, pediatrics, preparation