Colonoscopy is a common procedure used to diagnose and treat a variety of gastrointestinal conditions. However, the quality of the procedure can be affected by a number of factors, including the acuity level of the patient and their individual characteristics. A recent study published in BMC Gastroenterology sought to investigate the effect of acuity level and patient characteristics on bowel preparation quality in inpatient colonoscopies.
The study included a retrospective cohort of inpatient colonoscopies performed at a single academic medical center between January 2015 and December 2017. The researchers used the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) Bowel Preparation Quality (BPQ) scale to assess the quality of the bowel preparation. The BPQ scale is a validated tool that assesses the quality of the bowel preparation on a scale of 0-3, with 0 being the worst and 3 being the best.
The researchers found that the acuity level of the patient was significantly associated with the quality of the bowel preparation. Specifically, patients with higher acuity levels had significantly lower BPQ scores than those with lower acuity levels. Additionally, the researchers found that certain patient characteristics, such as age, gender, and body mass index, were also associated with the quality of the bowel preparation.
Overall, the study found that the acuity level of the patient and their individual characteristics can have a significant impact on the quality of the bowel preparation in inpatient colonoscopies. The findings of this study suggest that clinicians should take into account the acuity level and individual characteristics of their patients when performing inpatient colonoscopies. Additionally, further research is needed to better understand the effect of acuity level and patient characteristics on bowel preparation quality.