Diet Selection Pre-Colonoscopy: Comparison Between Clear, Low-residue and Regular Diet

Colonoscopy has been used for ages as an evaluating tool of the colonic mucosa for screening and early detection of colonic cancer. Several studies have reported that poor bowel preparation reduces detection of polyps that may have the potential to be cancerous. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has become the most commonly used agent for colon cleansing because it does not cause fluid exchange across the mucosal membrane and thereby limits fluid and electrolyte disturbances. Only a few studies have evaluated the effects of different diet types on bowel preparation under controlled circumstances. Various studies were made to find the best pre-colonoscopy diet with no single clear study comparing all 3 dietary regimen together was carried out. So, evidence for the efficacy of a RD (regular diet) in bowel preparation is lacking, which led us to question whether it is reasonable to recommend a RD for 24 hours prior to colonoscopy as part of a PEG-based bowel prepa¬ration in healthy inpatients. The investigators are proposing to carry out a randomized clinical trial at Makassed General Hospital and include patients from October 2018 till February 2019. The data of 90 stable adult patients will be obtained through patients' interviews. In the trial, all adult inpatients (range, 18 to 80 years old) undergoing colonoscopy for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in Makassed General Hospital with nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms will be candidates for inclusion in the study. Patient receiving endoscopy will be asked to answer multiple questions on the day of procedure. Patients will be randomly allocated to one of 3 groups: Regular Diet (RD), Clear Fluid (CF) and Low-Residue Diet (LRD). The primary outcome will consist of the quality of bowel preparation and efficacy of colon cleansing.