A prospective randomised study comparing polyethylene glycol and sodium phosphate bowel cleansing solutions for colonoscopy

Polyethylene glycol (Klean-Prep, Norgine) is widely used for bowel cleansin g in the United Kingdom, This study compares the efficacy, acceptability an d adverse effects of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution with sodium phosp hate (Fleet Phosphs-soda, De DeWitt) for bowel preparation prior to colonos copy, Two hundred and nine consecutive patients were prospectively randomised to either PEG or sodium phosphate (SP) preparation, The endoscopist. was blind ed to the randomisation process, Fifty patients mere excluded from the stud y because of previous colectomies or incomplete data. Of the remaining 159 patients, 88 had been randomised to the PEG group and 71 to the SP group, T here was no difference in sex distribution between the groups, There were n o significant differences between groups in terms of patient acceptability, side effects (nausea/vomiting and abdominal cramps), adequacy of bowel pre paration and colonoscopy completion rates, 74% of the PEG and 70,4% of the SP group were rated by the endoscopist as having good or excellent bowel pr eparation. Sodium phosphate is well tolerated without additional side effec ts when compared with PEG solution, Both solutions were found to be equally effective in bowel cleansing.