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Preventive Medicine – Colonoscopy?

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

Okay, not the topic any of us likes to discuss right? But face it, we are all in this together, and if you haven’t had the pleasure of preparing for a colonoscopy you are in for a treat! Well, maybe not a treat but a study comparing a low-residual diet (LRD) with a clear-liquid diet (CLD) for bowel preparation before colonoscopy was published in the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Journal (GIE) with interesting results.

Twenty randomized controlled trials published between 2005 and 2019 with 4,323 participants identified that low residue diet was comparable with a clear liquid diet for adequate bowel preparation, detection rates for polyps or adenomas were similar and there were significantly fewer advents in individuals in the low residue diet group, nausea, vomiting, hunger, and headache.

Bottom line, the study demonstrated that low residue diets are comparable with clear liquid diets in the quality of bowel preparation before colonoscopy. Now if they could figure out a way to avoid having to drink the dreaded prep solution, we would all get in line for a colonoscopy, or maybe not! Remember, it is important to maintain regular, preventive medical visits with your primary care, don’t put it off and blame it on the pandemic!

Please stay the course, stay strong, stay well, stay safe, mask up, stay tuned!