Predictors of Inadequate Bowel Preparation at Colonoscopy

To identify risks for inadequate bowel preparation at colonoscopy, researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis comprising 67 studies with more than 75,000 participants.

Predictors of inadequate bowel preparation with clinically important odds ratios (>1.5) were constipation (OR, 2.0), cirrhosis (3.4), diabetes (1.8), stroke or dementia (2.1), opioids (1.7), and tricyclic antidepressants (2.6 in women and 1.4 in men). Age, male gender, prior abdominal surgery, and hypertension had statistically significant predictive value but odds ratios <1.5. Among 10 studies examining lower education level as a predictor, after excluding 2 studies showing that lower educational level was associated with better bowel preparation, the pooled …