Two low-dose bowel-cleansing regimens: efficacy and safety of senna and sodium phosphorus solution for colonoscopy

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic and colonoscopic characteristics of the patients

Patient characteristics	Senna (n=62)	NaP (n=66)	P-value
Age (years)	49.8±14.8	47.7±14.3	0.414
Sex (male/female)	37/25	37/29	0.722
BMI (kg/m^2)	25.3±3.5	25.1±3.4	0.807
Time to reach cecum (minutes)	8.2±4.1	8.1±3.9	0.879
Total procedure time (minutes)	19.3±8.1	18.8±5.8	0.695
Number of incomplete colonoscopy procedures	4	7	0.533
Technical difficulty			0.667
Easy/fairly easy (%)	53 (85.5)	52 (78.8)
Difficult/incomplete (%)	9 (14.5)	14 (21.2)
Cecum intubation rate (%)	58 (91.9)	59 (89.4)	0.533
Colonoscopy indication			0.730
Cancer screening/polyp history	8	9
Bleeding/anemia history	15	11
Change in bowel habit	24	26
Inflammatory bowel diseases	3	2
Other	12	18
Colonoscopic diagnosis			0.901
Normal	29	29
Polyp	13	17
Hemorrhoid-fissure	7	6
Colon cancer	1	1
Inflammatory bowel diseases	3	1
Other	5	5

Abbreviations: NaP, sodium phosphorus; BMI, body mass index.

Table 2 Comparison of compliance to the colonoscopic preparation methods

Complaints	No trouble (Sen/NaP)	Mild (Sen/NaP)	Moderate (Sen/NaP)	Severe (Sen/NaP)
Nausea*	34/19	23/32	3/11	2/4
Vomiting**	52/35	7/22	2/6	1/3
Abdominal pain	40/37	14/19	6/8	2/2
Dizziness	55/52	6/12	–/2	1/–
Headache	52/54	8/8	1/3	1/1

Notes:

* P<0.05,

** P<0.01; senna vs NaP.

Abbreviations: Sen, senna; NaP, sodium phosphorus.

Table 3 Evaluation of the colonoscopic examination

Parameters	Excellent (Sen/NaP)	Good (Sen/NaP)	Fairly good (Sen/NaP)	Inadequate (Sen/NaP)
Rectum	49/50	3/5	6/3	2/2
Sigmoid colon	45/51	4/5	8/1	3/3
Descending colon	51/47	3/6	3/4	2/3
Transverse colon	45/49	7/4	2/4	4/2
Ascending colon	34/47	8/3	10/4	6/5
Cecum*	25/42	5/6	8/3	20/8

Notes:

* P<0.01; senna vs NaP.

Abbreviations: Sen, senna; NaP, sodium phosphorus.

Table 4 Parameters determined before and after the colonoscopic examination

Parameters	Senna (n=62)		NaP (n=66)
	Before	After	Before	After
Blood pressure systolic (mmHg)	120.5±22	112±25.5##	127±25	116±23##
Diastolic (mmHg)	76±17.6	70.7±12.8#	77.9±12.9	71.7±11.8##
Sodium (mEq/L)	138.8±2.7	138.7±3.1	139.1±2.2	141.1±3.8**,##
Potassium (mEq/L)	4.3±0.4	4.1±0.6	4.3±0.4	3.9±0.4*,##
Chloride (mEq/L)	105.1±3.5	106.3±3.4##	105.4±3	107.8±3.4*,##
Calcium (mEq/L)	9.4±0.6	9.3±0.7##	9.5±0.5	8.8±0.5**,##
Ionized calcium (mmol/L)	1±0.1	0.7±0.2##	1±0.1	0.8±0.2##
Inorganic phosphorus (mEq/L)	3.5±0.7	3.9±1##	3.5±0.7	6.3±1.9**,##

Notes:

* P<0.05,

** P<0.001, senna vs NaP;

# P=0.01, senna (before vs after);

## P=0.001, senna (before vs after) and NaP (before vs after).

Abbreviation: NaP, sodium phosphorus.