One-Day Bowel Preparation With Polyethylene Glycol 3350 (Miralax®) is as Effective and Safe as Three-Day Preparation for Colonoscopy in Children

Colonoscopy in children and young adults is performed by gastroenterologists for a variety of indications, including but not limited to evaluation of rectal bleeding, chronic diarrhea, family history of polyposis syndromes and surveillance for colon cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. A successful bowel preparation that enables clear visualization of the intestinal mucosa is essential to diagnose and treat the underlying pathology. Currently, gastroenterologists use a variety of colon cleansing preparations, but Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) 3350 given for three to four days appears to be standard. Though it is well tolerated, safe and effective the duration of preparation may cause disruption to the routine and missed school days. To date, there is limited data that shows efficacy of a shorter duration of bowel preparation with PEG. This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of a one-day preparation with that of a three-day preparation with PEG 3350 as preparation for colonoscopy in children and young adults.