Abstract

Background
/Aims: Although polyethethylene glycol (PEG) solution is widely used for bowel preparation, it is difficult to drink a large amount of fluid in a short period of time. We compared the quality of bowel preparation and compliance between the single-dose group and split-dose group. Methods: Two hundred seventeen patients undergoing outpatient colonoscopy were randomly assigned to receive either 4 litre (L) of PEG solution (n=104, single- dose group) on the day of colonoscopy or 2 L of PEG solution on the day before colonoscopy and then 2 L of same solution on the day of colonoscopy (n=113, split- dose group). The quality of bowel preparation was assessed using Ottawa scale. Cecal intubation time, compliance and side effects were assessed. Results: Split-dose group showed the better quality of bowel preparation than single-dose group (4.75⁑2.45 vs 5.52⁑2.24, p＜0.05) because of lower residual volume scale. Patients who experienced very difficulty during ingestion (0.95% vs 5.8%) and left out more than 25% of PEG solution (3.5% vs 8.7%) were greater in single-dose group. There was no difference of side effects between two groups. Conclusions: Split-dose PEG preparation could be the useful method in than single-dose in colonoscopy preparation. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2005;30:194⁣198)

• Keywords: Colonoscopy, Bowel preparation, Ottawa scale, Polyethylene glycol solution