Inadequate Bowel Preparation in Pediatric Colonoscopy-Prospective Study of Potential Causes.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Endoscopy
• Patient Outcomes

Background:

• Inadequate bowel preparation (IBP) for colonoscopy is linked to missed diagnoses, longer procedures, and increased costs.
• While adult studies identify patient factors associated with IBP, little is known about these factors in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify patient characteristics associated with inadequate bowel preparation in children undergoing colonoscopy.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study enrolled 334 children undergoing outpatient colonoscopy.
• Bowel preparation quality was assessed using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS).
• Multivariable logistic regression analyzed predictors of IBP, comparing adequate (BBPS > 5) and inadequate (BBPS < 5) preparation.

Main Results:

• Of 321 children studied, 12.8% had inadequate bowel preparation (mean BBPS score 6.8).
• Multivariable analysis found no statistically significant differences in IBP based on age, gender, obesity, race, insurance type, or indication for colonoscopy.

Conclusions:

• Unlike adult studies, no patient factors were found to predict IBP in this pediatric cohort.
• The prevalence of IBP in children (12.8%) was lower than reported in adult studies (20-40%).