The palatability of five colonic lavage solutions

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Clinical Nutrition
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Patient non-compliance with colonoscopy preparation is often linked to the unpleasant taste and saltiness of polyethylene glycol-electrolyte lavage solutions.
• Several commercially available lavage solutions have been developed with reduced salt content or added flavoring to improve palatability and patient adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the palatability of different commercially available polyethylene glycol-electrolyte lavage solutions.
• To identify the most preferred lavage solution based on taste and saltiness.

Main Methods:

• A taste-testing study involving 100 adult subjects (50 patients undergoing colonoscopy and 50 family members/volunteers).
• Subjects evaluated five different commercially available lavage solutions, rating taste and saltiness.
• Participants ranked the solutions based on overall preference.

Main Results:

• Four of the five tested solutions (Colyte-Flavored, Cherry-NuLytely, NuLytely, GoLytely) received similar taste scores, outperforming plain Colyte.
• Approximately 75% of subjects preferred a flavored lavage solution over an unflavored one in direct comparison.
• About 22% of subjects preferred an unflavored solution, with some expressing a dislike for the flavored options.

Conclusions:

• While most subjects prefer flavored lavage solutions for colonoscopy preparation, a significant minority favors unflavored options.
• The choice of the most palatable lavage solution may depend on individual patient preference, with both flavored and unflavored options having a place.
• Further research could explore novel formulations to enhance palatability for all patients.