Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Preparing For Your Colonoscopy
Many people think the worst part of a colonoscopy is the preparation -- clearing your entire large intestine of fecal matter. Your doctor will give you detailed instructions about the cleansing process, which can take two days or more. Now a study reported in The Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that some bowel cleaning preparations can cause kidney damage in some adults.
If you're scheduled for a colonoscopy, be sure to check the bowel cleansing preparation you use. Oral sodium phosphate (OSP) -- a popular choice that's available over the counter -- can cause severe chronic kidney damage in older users.
Researchers compared the records of 286 older adults (age 58 to 78) who used OSP before a colonoscopy with those from 125 individuals who had not used it. The OSP group had a measurable decrease in their kidney function (as measured by creatinine level and glomerular filtration rate [GFR]) within one year of using the product.
In the OSP group, the mean creatinine level increased from 0.92 mg/dL at baseline to 1.04 mg/dL at one year (1.5 mg/dL was the laboratory's upper limit for normal). In addition, the group had an 8% reduction in their total GFR at one year.
Those who had not had a colonoscopy had a much slower decline in kidney function, which is consistent with normal aging. At baseline, their mean creatinine level was 0.92 mg/dL and it rose to 0.96 mg/dL at one year, and the total GFR decreased by only 1%.
Bottom line: If you're older or have chronic kidney disease and are scheduled for a colonoscopy or use OSP for other health reasons, speak with your doctor about alternatives, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) solutions.
Reported in Archives of Internal Medicine (Volume 168, page 593).
Posted in Colon Cancer on September 29, 2009
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer
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