Timed screening colonoscopy: a randomized trial of two colonoscopic withdrawal techniques.

BACKGROUND AND GOALS: Missed adenomas are likely to be located in the proximal colon and failure to detect these lesions might explain the occurrence of a certain percentage of interval carcinomas. Though studies have demonstrated increased detection of significant neoplastic lesions in colonoscopic examinations where the withdrawal time is 6 min or more, there are no recommendations on how much time to spend in each colonic segment. The aim of the trial was to find ways to reduce the number of lesions missed in the proximal segments of the colon assessing the difference in adenoma detection rate (ADR) between two colonoscopic withdrawal timed techniques. STUDY: This was a randomized trial in a university hospital. Population was composed of patients referred for screening colonoscopy. The Main Outcome measurements was ADRs for patients subjected to a timed colonoscopy with specific withdrawal times, with special interest in the proximal colon, and implying a minimum of 2-min withdrawal delay in the cecum and right colon, a 1-min delay time in the transverse colon, and a minimum additional 3-min delay time in the left colon, as compared to a standard timed colonoscopy with free withdrawal delay time of at least 6 min. RESULTS: A total of 1160 patients were included. Eleven were initially excluded due to incomplete colonoscopies. Of the remaining 1149 patients, 573 were randomized to the group with fixed withdrawal times (Group A) and 576 to conventional withdrawal (Group B). Median age was 57 years (SD 6), a total of 634 (55.2%) were male patients and the mean withdrawal time was 7:05 min (SD 1 min). Seven hundred and eighty-one adenomas/serrated lesions were found in 470 patients (1.66 per patient), with 28 advanced lesions and 3 adenocarcinomas. Global ADR was 41% with no significant statistical differences between the two groups (42.1% vs 39.8%, p 0.43), respectively. A multivariate analysis showed clear relation between the finding of adenomas and higher BBPS ratings (Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 0.92, p 0.05), age (aOR 1.03, p 0.01), male sex (aOR 1.51, p 0.001), and time of withdrawal (aOR 1.17, p 0.001), while no association was observed with either withdrawal technique (aOR 0.89, IC 95% 0.70-1.03, p 0.32). There was no statistical significant difference between the two groups concerning the finding of proximal lesions (cOR 0.93, CI 95% 0.71-1.20, p 0.56) (aOR 0.89, CI 95% 0.69-1.17, p 0.41) or serrated polyps (cOR 0.81, CI 95% 0.51-1.27, p 0.35) (aOR 0.81, IC 95% 0.51-1.28, p 0.36). CONCLUSIONS: Fixed withdrawal times did not prove to lead to an increase in the number of detected adenomas. Nevertheless, our study supports previous reports stating that longer withdrawal times are indeed associated with better proximal and distal adenoma detection.

[Endoscopic polypectomy of colorectal adenomas: Monitoring patients in order to review the colonoscopic surveillance interval]. / Polipectomía endoscópica de adenomas colorrectales: Seguimiento de los pacientes con el objeto de evaluar el intervalo entre las videocolonoscopías de control.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of advanced adenomas at surveillance colonoscopy after polipectomy. To review the colonoscopic surveillance interval and to compare the prevalence of adenomas in patients with low-risk and high-risk adenomas at screening colonoscopies. METHODS: A cohort retrospective study. It was used a database of colonoscopies performed between 1999 and 2012. Seven hundred and sixty patients who had adenomas at first colonoscopy were included (465 males and 295 females, mean age 62 years old). They were divided into two groups: group A, low-risk adenomas, and group B, high-risk adenomas. In each group, it was compared the presence of adenomas in videocolonoscopies performed at 3 and 5 years. RESULTS: At the first colonoscopy 409 patients (53.8%) belonged to group A and 351 (46.2%) than group B. In both groups the risk of new advanced adenomas in endoscopic surveillance at 5years was similar to the control at 3 years. Comparing both groups, the risk of new advanced adenomas in endoscopic surveillance at 3 years in group B was 1.96 times greater than in group A (P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: At present, surveillance endoscopy is performed before the suggested interval. In both groups there were no statistically significant differences between surveillance control at 3 or 5 years. However, 62% of patients in group B have developed new advanced adenomas in endoscopic surveillance at 3 years. Therefore, it is recommended the endoscopic control with this interval.

[Bowel preparation for colonoscopy: comparative study using Boston Bowel Preparation Scale]. / Estudio comparativo de tres preparaciones para colonoscopía utilizando la escala Boston Bowel Praparation Scale.

BACKGROUND: Most comparative studies on different preparations for colonic cleanliness use unvalidated scales with terms as "excellent," "good," "fair," and "poor" which lack standardized definitions. The Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS) is a valid and simple measure of bowel preparation. OBJECTIVE: To compare three different bowel preparations [polyethylenglycol (PEG), sodium phosphates, and PEG + bisacodyl tablets] using BBPS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients undergoing screening colonoscopies were included during a period of 6 months. Every patient was scored according to BBPS. RESULTS: Six endoscopists prospectively enrolled 374 patients (200 female and 174 male, median age 56.9 years old). Physicians chose the preparation method, and in spite of not being a randomized trial, numbers in each group allowed statistical analysis: PEG 116patients (31%), sodium phosphates 212 (56.7%) and bisacodyl 46 (12.3%). There was statistical difference between the three preparations in favor of the 4 litre solution of PEG, with a median score of 7, towards sodium phosphates and bisacodyl, with median scores of 6 (P < 0.001). Depending on bowel preparation, there were positive polyp findings in 40% of colonoscopies with PEG, 26% with sodium phosphates and 22% with bisacodyl (P = 0.01). Afternoon procedures had better preparation scores than morning procedures, 7 and 6, respectively (P < 0.001). In the afternoon colonoscopies, there were no statisticaIly significant differences between the preparations (P = 0.12) or polyp findings (P = 0.13). In the morning shift, PEG prepared patients had better scores (score of 6) when compared to sodium phosphate (score of 5) and bisacodyl (score of 6) (P = 0.001). We also noticed that the shorter the time interval between the last intake of the preparation and the procedure, the better the score. CONCLUSIONS: Bowel preparations for colonoscopy with PEG are significantly better than sodium phosphate and bisacodyl preparations, with higher BBPS scores and polyp detection rates.

[Prevalence of hypertension in an Indian community in the North of Argentina]. / Prevalencia de hipertension arterial en una comunidad aborigen del norte argentino.

The prevalence of hypertension among adults of both sexes was assessed as part of a primary medical attention program in an Indian Wichi-Chorote community in Santa Victoria Este, province of Salta, Argentina. Arterial blood pressure was measured after a five minutes rest in a sitting position in adults (over 18 years old) of both sexes with a calibrated sphygmomanometer. A total of 522 adults (318 women and 204 men) were evaluated with median age of 43.5 +/- 16.3. The mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 125.2 +/- 22.7 mm Hg, and the mean dyastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 76.3 +/- 12.8 mm Hg. Thirty five percent of the people evaluated had normal pressure values (SBP<80 and DBP<120), 37% prehypertensive (SBP 120-139 or DBP 80-89) and 28% hypertensive (SBP > or = 140 or DBP > or = 90). Thirty one percent of the men (mean age: 43.93 +/- 17.11, mean SBP: 126.81 +/- 22.61 and mean DBP: 77.80 +/- 13.33) and 27% of the women studied (mean age: 42.93 +/- 16.3, mean SBP: 124.92 +/- 24.02 and mean DBP: 75.28 +/- 12.57) were hypertense. Fifty nine percent of the people over 65 years of age (n:58) (mean age: 73.15 +/- 6.36, mean SBP: 144.81 +/- 28.72 and mean DBP: 79.68 +/- 13.17) had blood pressure values in the hypertense range. The prevalence of hypertension in the evaluated rural population, suffering extreme demographic and sanitary conditions, is similar to that reported for urbanized societies in the USA but lower than the one reported for other rural areas of our country.