Low-salt bowel cleansing preparation (LoSo Prep) as preparation for colonoscopy: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND

Currently available colon cleansing preparations are often poorly tolerated.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy of a low-volume, low-salt preparation for colonoscopy.

METHODS

This was a pilot study in patients scheduled for colonoscopy. The preparation consisted of 34 g of magnesium citrate and four bisacodyl tablets the day before the procedure, and one bisacodyl suppository on the morning of the procedure.

RESULTS

Twenty patients (age range, 49-81 years; all males) were entered into the study. There were no significant side-effects associated with the preparation. All rated the taste as 'tolerable or better'. The examination was considered to be adequate, with no limitations, in 17 patients (85%), and was scored as good to excellent (no solid stool) in 11 (55%), acceptable (small amounts of solid stool) in six (30%) and poor in three (15%: two in-patients and one out-patient). Importantly, two of the failures then received a standard polyethylene glycol preparation and again failed to show adequate colon preparation.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot study showed that the low-salt colon cleansing preparation was an effective alternative preparation for colonoscopy.