UCI Health study finds less restrictive diet may be superior to clear liquids prior to colonoscopy
Patient satisfaction may help increase colon cancer screening participation
May 23, 2016
A UCI Health study found that patients on a low residue diet before colonoscopy achieved a bowel preparation quality that may be superior to patients restricted to a clear liquid diet. The less restrictive diet also improved patient satisfaction, which may help increase colonoscopy participation.
UCI Health gastroenterologist Dr. Jason Samarasena presented the findings at the 2016 Digestive Diseases Week meeting in San Diego on May 23.
“Colon cancer deaths can be prevented by colonoscopy, yet colorectal screening participation remains low,” Samarasena said. “For many people, the idea of taking strong laxatives and not being able to eat anything for eight to 12 hours is unpleasant, and so they decide to not have a colonoscopy. They think that if they don’t have any symptoms, there’s no need to have the procedure. The problem is that most often, people don’t have symptoms of colon cancer until the disease is very advanced.”
Colonoscopy patients must have nothing in their bowels so the physician can clearly see the interior walls and check for abnormalities. The adequacy of bowel preparation was evaluated according to the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale. Hunger and fatigue pre- and post-procedure were graded on a 10-point scale.
Study participants using the conventional clear liquid diet were allowed to consume drinks such as broth, black coffee and tea the day before colonoscopy. In contrast, those following the low residue diet were allowed to eat three meals that included small portions of foods such as eggs, yogurt, bread, rice, chicken breast, and ice cream.
“These foods are easily liquefied in the small intestine and can be washed out easily, so they don't interfere with the colonoscopy procedure,” Samarasena said.
There were a significantly higher number of adequate preparations in the low residue diet patients, as well as a higher mean BBPS. Low residue diet patients also reported significantly lower scores for evening hunger just prior to purgative intake and morning post-prep fatigue. Their scores for diet satisfaction were significantly higher than those of patients who consumed a traditional clear liquid diet.
“Bowel preparation and dietary restrictions are the most-often cited deterrents to undergoing colonoscopy,” Samarasena said. “This study shows that a low residue diet results in a high quality bowel preparation score, and significantly better patient tolerability, which may help increase participation in colorectal screening.”
The multicenter, randomized, single blinded, prospective trial involved 83 patients who underwent a colonoscopy from November 2014 to November 2015.
UCI Health comprises the clinical, medical education and research enterprises of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UCI Health at physician offices throughout Orange County and at its main campus, UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Calif., a 411-bed acute care hospital that provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, and behavioral health and rehabilitation services. U.S. News & World Report has listed it among America’s Best Hospitals for 15 consecutive years. UC Irvine Medical Center features Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program, Level I trauma center and Level II pediatric trauma center, and it is the primary teaching hospital for the UC Irvine School of Medicine. UCI Health serves a region of more than 3 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the University of California, Irvine: Currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $4.8 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.