Researchers examined 175 patients, who prepared for their video capsule endoscopy in one of three ways: having only clear liquids the evening before, having two sachets of sodium picosulfate plus magnesium sulfate the evening before or through infesting two liters of polyethylene glycol the evening before. Diets were consistent between the three groups.
The researchers assessed bowel cleanliness on a five-point ordinal scale, through the percentage of time the small-bowel view was clear and through a validated computerized assessment of the cleansing.
Here’s what they found:
1. Of the 175 patients who completed the trial, there was no clear benefit between P/MC or PEG over clear fluids through the five-point rating scale.
2. There was no difference in diagnostic yield between the groups.
3. There were significant differences in the tolerance of the preparations. Clear liquids were more preferred (93 percent) followed by two sachets of sodium picosulfate plus magnesium sulfate (67 percent) then polyethylene glycol (13 percent).
The researchers concluded, “Small-bowel cleansing for VCE remains a controversial topic. This randomized control trial demonstrates no benefit in overall or distal small-bowel visualization with active preparation using either PEG or P/MC compared with clear fluids only.”
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