Obesity is an independent predictor of inadequate bowel preparation at colonoscopy, and the presence of additional risk factors further increases the likelihood of a poorly cleansed colon, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.
Obesity has become an epidemic in the present era, both in the U.S. and in other developed nations. Abnormal elevation of body mass index (BMI) is associated with several gastrointestinal diagnoses, including diverticular disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, colon polyps and colon cancer.
Since the majority of colon cancers arise from adenomatous (benign) colon polyps, proper screening becomes crucial while performing colonoscopy on obese patients. An inadequately cleansed colon can jeopardize the effectiveness of screening or surveillance colonoscopy, exposing these patients at higher risk for colorectal tumors to the dangers of missed lesions and higher cost of repeat colonoscopy.
"The implications of our findings are profound. Since over a quarter of all patients had an inadequate examination, identification of a patient profile with a high risk for poor colon preparation will be helpful in capturing those who would benefit from an initial individualized designer preparation regimen," said Brian Borg, MD, of Washington University in St. Louis, MO and lead author of the study. "Our results suggest that the obese patient should at least be subject to more precise instructions and possibly a more rigorous bowel preparation regimen. In addition, as the number of risk factors for an inadequate bowel preparation increase, the need for early repeat colonoscopy escalates."