Study | Year | No | Age | Regimen 1 | Regimen 2 | Regimen 3 | Regimen 4 | Main outcomes reported in the study | Context | Randomisation | Allocation concealment | Blinding | Incomplete outcomes | Selective reporting | Other |
Gremse et al 4 | 1996 | 34 | 3–17 years | Sodium phosphate | PEG | N/A | N/A | The bowel preparation was excellent or good in 18/19 patients in sodium phosphate Group and 6/15 in PEG group. The incidence of vomiting was similar in both groups, but abdominal pain occurred more in PEG group. | Elective colonoscopy | Unclear—one of the authors randomised patients into groups | One of the authors assigned the patients to their groups, also perform colonoscopies | Appear single blind | Unclear, no ITT | High—details of adverse events not given | None |
Sinha et al 6 | 2007 | 126 | Mean 3 years | Sodium chloride | PEG | Ringer lactate | N/A | Bowel preparation was good in 35/40 in Nacl group, 49/55 in PEG group and 29/31 of lactate group. All three were similar in safety | Elective surgery | Unclear | Unclear | Appear single blind | Low risk | Unclear risk | None |
Kierkus et al 8 | 2013 | 240 | 10–18 years | BPEG | PEG | Sennosides | N/A | There were no significant differences found for the proportions of participants with excellent/good (PEG: 35/79, BPEG: 26/79, sennosides: 25/76) bowel preparation | Elective colonoscopy | List created by independent person using block | Yes | Single blind | Low risk | Low risk | None |
Kumar and Hussain12 | 2013 | 30 | 1 month–7 years | Normal saline | PEG | N/A | N/A | Bowel preparation was rated as good/very good in 14/15 in the PEG group and 15/15 in the NS group. More symptomatic complications were noted in the NS group (7) than in PEG group (1). | Various surgical procedures | Unclear | Unclear | Unclear | Low risk | Low | None apparent |
Turner et al 11 | 2009 | 83 | 4–18 years | Pico-Salax | PEG-ELS | N/A | N/A | Bowel preparation was judged as good/excellent in 33/43 of Pico-sSalax group and 32/40 PEG-ELS group. No significant difference in safety was found between the groups | Elective colonoscopy | Computer-generated list in blocks of 6 | Yes | Single blind | Yes | Low risk | Funded by pharma but not involved in study |
Di Nardo et al 10 | 2014 | 299 | 2 years–18 years | PEG-ELS with simethicone | PEG with citrate and bisacodyl | PEG 3350 with ascorbic acid | Sodium picosulfate, Magesium oxide+citric acid | No statistical difference was found between any group using the Boston scoring system (p=0.910). No serious adverse events occurred in any group. | Elective colonoscopy | Computer generated list | Opaque sealed signed envelop | Unblind | Low risk | Low risk | None apparent |
Dahshan et al 9 | 1999 | 70 | 3–20 years | Magnesium citrate with X-prep | Dulcolax and Fleet Enema | Golytely (PEG) | N/A | Bowel preparation was rated as excellent in 6/20 of X-prep group, 2/19 Dulcolax and 15/31 of PEG group. Statistically more side effects were reported in the PEG group. | Elective colonoscopy | No detail given | Unclear | Single blind | Low risk | Low risk | None apparent |
Terry et al 7 | 2013 | 33 | 6–21 years | PEG-P | Senna | N/A | N/A | Bowel preparation was rated as excellent/good in 14/16 of PEG-P group and 4/14 of the senna group. Both were well tolerated by patient-graded ease of preparation. | Elective colonoscopy | Randomly chosen preparation packet | A nurse administer – no further details | Single blind | Low risk | Low risk | None apparent |
da Silva et al 13 | 1997 | 30 | 3–14 years | Sodium phosphate | PEG | N/A | N/A | Excellent-to-good colonic cleansing was achieved in 10/14 in sodium phosphate group and 11/15 of PEG group. Patients recorded less discomfort with orally administered Fleet than with high-volume balanced-lavage preparation | Elective colonoscopy | Computer generated and randomly assigned | Unclear risk | Unclear risk | Unclear | High risk | None apparent |
BPEG, polyethylene glycol combined with bisacodyl; ITT, intention to treat; N/A, not applicable; NACL, sodium chloride; NS, normal saline; PEG, polyethylene glycol; PEG-ELS, polyethylene glycol-electrolyte lavage solution; PEG-P, polyethylene glycol without electrolytes.