Introduction: Adequate bowel preparation is one of the most important factors related to the yield of colonoscopy. Low-quality bowel preparation has been associated with lower adenoma detection rates and increased healthcare expenses. Bowel preparation is a major impediment to undergo colonoscopy since it is perceived as an unpleasant experience by patients. Objective: This study was aimed to assess tolerance and acceptability of the bowel preparation using either polyethylene glycol (PEG) or mannitol solution. Materials and methods: We enrolled 140 patients with indications of screening for colorectal cancer or with suspected large bowel diseases. They received either mannitol solution or PEG as bowel preparation. Patients were asked to fill a questionnaire about the bowel preparation experience. Results: Patients perceived more burdensome the preparation with PEG than mannitol for the variables nausea overall experience, post-procedure discomfort, disagreeable flavor, volume ingested and cost (p<0.05). A similar tolerance was reported for abdominal pain, bloating and anal irritation (p>0.05). The acceptability was 82.9% and 71.4% in the Mannitol group and in the PEG group, respectively (p=0.10). Conclusion: Acceptance of the bowel preparation between mannitol solution and PEG was comparable. However, mannitol was bettertolerated by the patients in regard to most of the evaluated items.

Los supresores del ácido gástrico son uno de los grupos farmacológicos más frecuentemente prescritos en todo el mundo. En los últimos años se han realizado varios estudios sobre su prescripción inadecuada. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la idoneidad de estos medicamentos en un servicio de medicina interna de un hospital de tercer nivel en Venezuela. Se realizó una revisión retrospectiva de historias medicas de pacientes ingresados en el servicio de medicina interna desde enero de 2020 hasta febrero de 2021. Se recogieron datos sobre indicaciones de supresores de ácido gástrico, tipo utilizado y su continuación al alta. La prescripción se agrupó en dos categorías, adecuada o inadecuada, según las guías clínicas vigentes. Entre los 1203 pacientes a los que se les prescribió recientemente supresores de ácido gástrico en el hospital durante el período de estudio, 993 (82,5%) tenían una prescripción inapropiada. La profilaxis de úlceras pépticas en pacientes de bajo riesgo fue la indicación no basada en evidencia más frecuente (20,24%). Setecientos sesenta y dos pacientes fueron dados de alta con supresores de ácido gástrico. De estos, el 74,7% no tenía una indicación apropiada para continuar este tratamiento de forma ambulatoria. Un alto número de pacientes hospitalizados en un centro asistencial de nivel terciario ueron prescritos con supresores de ácido gástrico que no se ajustaban a las guías de práctica clínica vigentes.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer. The prognosis is bleak in patients with advanced stages. Patients with early disease have a better prognosis than those with advanced stage. There are several techniques for the screening of premalignant and superficial lesions including chromoendoscopy. OBJECTIVE: This article aimed to determine the effectiveness of chromoendoscopy with toluidine blue combined with Lugol’s solution for diagnosis of esophageal premalignant and superficial neoplastic lesions in high risk patients. METHODS: Routine white light upper endoscopy was performed. Toluidine blue was sprayed from the gastroesophageal junction to 20 cm of the dental arch. Then the uptake dye areas were characterized. Later Lugol’s solution was sprayed. Areas with less-intense staining were characterized. Biopsy of the toluidine blue capturing areas and areas with less-intense staining of Lugol’s solution were taken. In the cases where lesions were not evidenced after application of dyes, biopsies four quadrants of the esophageal mucosa were taken. The samples were evaluated by a digestive pathologist. RESULTS: Barrett’s esophagus was the most common premalignant lesion and the early neoplastic lesion was adenocarcinoma with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity 85.7%, positive predictive value 30%, negative predictive value 100%, positive likelihood ratio 7 negative likelihood ratio 0. CONCLUSION: Chromoendoscopy with toluidine blue combined with Lugol’s solution is a useful tool in the screening of esophageal premalignant lesions and superficial neoplasms.

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