Does constipation predict the quality of bowel preparation during colonoscopy?

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopy
• Colorectal Cancer Screening

Background:

• Suboptimal bowel preparation compromises colonoscopy effectiveness, reducing polyp detection and increasing costs.
• Constipation is a suspected predictor of inadequate bowel preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between constipation symptoms and bowel preparation quality for colonoscopy.
• To identify potential predictors of poor bowel preparation.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire assessed constipation features (Rome III criteria) and demographics in 101 patients undergoing colonoscopy.
• Bowel preparation quality was evaluated using the Ottawa scoring scale by the endoscopist.

Main Results:

• Lower bowel movement frequency correlated with higher Ottawa scores, indicating poorer preparation (p=0.028).
• Women reporting hard stools had significantly worse preparation scores (Ottawa=6.3) than those who did not (Ottawa=4.5, p=0.025).

Conclusions:

• Pre-colonoscopy assessment of bowel movement characteristics can identify patients at risk for poor preparation.
• This predictive capability may enhance the cost-effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening.