This was a blinded study conducted on the efficacy and safety of a one-day versus a three-day bowel preparation in a pediatric population. Limited data is available in this regard, and this study supports the use of a one-day bowel preparation, as this is both safe and effective.

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.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pediatric Patients referred for an outpatient colonoscopy

Exclusion Criteria:

• None

Children between 2 and 21 years of age undergoing elective colonoscopy were enrolled into the study.