Patient case: 68-year-old male with colon cancer; genetic feature: MLH1 methylation suppression (microsatellite instability)

Clinical trial: Adding Stewed Apricot Juice to Senna Improves the Right-Side and Overall Colon Cleansing Quality for Colonoscopy Preparation

Summary: Adequate bowel cleansing is essential for optimal colonoscopic examination. However, none of the colonoscopy preparation regimens is safe, efficient and also comfortable. The investigators' aim was to determine whether adding stewed apricot juice to senna increases patient comfort and improves bowel cleansing during colonoscopy preparation.

Detailed description: -  Colonoscopy is the current standard method for diagnosing colon cancer and polyps, and also can be used for therapeutic interventions such as polypectomy. Diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic safety of the procedure depends on the quality of the colonic cleansing. Inadequate bowel preparation may result in missed precancerous lesions, longer colonoscopy time, lower cecal intubation rates and increased electrocautery risks. It also causes further costs because the colonoscopy has to be re-scheduled or alternative examinations have to be planned.
  -  Although polyethylene glycol (PEG) and sodium phosphate (NaP) are the main cleansing solutions in current practice, they tend to be poorly tolerated. The need to intake a large volume of fluid and unpleasant, salty taste of PEG reduce patient compliance. To overcome these limitations, split-dose administration of PEG has been shown effective and more patient-friendly. Unfortunately, PEG solutions have not been available in some countries due to marketing problems, as in Turkey. The potential risks for clinically significant alterations in serum electrolyte levels and hemodynamic instability in patients with renal failure, congestive heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension and ascites limits the usage of NaP. Moreover, European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) suggests that oral NaP can only be advised in selected cases such as patients unable to tolerate other agents or only individuals to be at low risk of NaP-related side-effects. Unfortunately, 20% of patients who consumed PEG or NaP did not have satisfactory bowel cleansing. Because of the limitations of NaP and unavailability of PEG solutions, senna is still the main colonoscopy preparation in some countries..
  -  The ideal colonoscopy preparation would not only reliably empty the colon, but also not cause any patient discomfort. However, none of the preparations currently meet all of these criteria. Thus, numerous clinical trials have assessed prokinetic and spasmolytic agents, ascorbic acid, olive oil, orange and pineapple juice to attempt to improve the effectiveness and tolerance of colonoscopic preparation regimens. Among these preparations, no additive effect was demonstrated for prokinetic and spasmolytic agents, while authors determined more patient satisfaction and colon cleansing for the rest.
  -  Senna alkaloids have a direct effect on intestinal mucosa, increasing the colonic motility, enhancing colonic transit, and inhibiting water and electrolyte secretion. Although senna were used effectively alone in the past, they have been replaced by PEG and NaP solutions. Senna have a good-taste and are well-tolerated, inexpensive and have fewer adverse effects, yet, their efficacy is controversial.
  -  Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) has an important place in human nutrition and can be used as fresh or dried. Also, traditionally dried apricots have been used for many years in Mediterranean countries as a remedy for constipation because of their high-fiber content . Furthermore, apricots contain sorbitol (4,6g/100g) which has a laxative effect and used for treating constipation in the elderly.
  -  Although these fruits are already in our life, to investigators knowledge, there is no study examining the effects of apricot juice for precolonoscopic preparation. Therefore, the investigators conducted this study to establish whether adding stewed apricot juice to senna promotes bowel cleansing as well as patient comfort.

Eligibility: Inclusion Criteria:
  -  Outpatients with either sex who were over 18 years of age and referred for elective colonoscopy were included in the study
  Exclusion Criteria:
  -  history of renal, cardiac, hepatic and metabolic disease including diabetes mellitus
  -  history of colonic resection
  -  hospitalized patients
  -  pregnancy or breast-feeding
  -  history of inflammatory bowel disease
  -  known allergy to senna.

Relevance to patient case: not relevant