The sedation increases the acceptance of repeat colonoscopies

• Published in: European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology Vol. 24; no. 7; pp. 775 - 780
• Main Authors: Baudet, Juan-Salvador, Aguirre-Jaime, Armando
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 01-07-2012; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Anxiety - prevention & control; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Colonoscopy - adverse effects; Colonoscopy - methods; Colonoscopy - psychology; Conscious Sedation - methods; Digestive system. Abdomen; Endoscopy; Fear; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; General anesthesia. Technics. Complications. Neuromuscular blocking. Premedication. Surgical preparation. Sedation; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology; Patient Satisfaction; Prospective Studies; Psychometrics; Spain; Spain; anxiety; Acceptance; conscious sedation; Colonoscopy; Gastroenterology; Endoscopy; Sedation; acceptability; fears
• ISSN: 0954-691X; 1473-5687
• DOI: 10.1097/MEG.0b013e32835376a2

AIMThe aim of this research was to assess how the use of sedation during colonoscopy influences patient anxiety, fear, satisfaction, and acceptance of repeat examinations.
MATERIALS AND METHODSA prospective case–control study quantifying the anxiety and fears of patients appointed for colonoscopy, comparing patients who had undergone previous colonoscopies with sedation (cases) with patients who had undergone previous colonoscopies without sedation and patients who had never had a colonoscopy before (controls). Following the examination, patients answered a satisfaction survey and were asked whether they would be willing to undergo future colonoscopies.
RESULTSThe study included 2016 patients (average age 50.05±14.44 years; 47% men). Of these, 1270 patients (63%) were undergoing colonoscopy for the first time and 746 (37%) had undergone the procedure before; in the latter group, 313 patients (42%) had been provided sedation, whereas 433 (58%) had not. Patients who had been sedated for prior colonoscopies assigned significantly lower scores than patients who had undergone previous colonoscopies without sedation and those undergoing the procedure for the first time both in the anxiety survey (3.3±2.5 vs. 7.5±2.8 vs. 10.3±3.5; P<0.01) and in the fears survey (7.1±3.0 vs. 14±2.8 vs. 20.3±4.5; P<0.01). Satisfaction survey scores were significantly higher among sedated patients than among nonsedated patients (22.8±2.7 vs. 18.6±2.3). The percentage of sedated patients who would be willing to undergo colonoscopy again was significantly higher than that of nonsedated patients (70 vs. 25%; P<0.001).
CONCLUSIONSedation reduces the anxiety and fear of undergoing a repeat colonoscopy and improves both patient satisfaction and the acceptability of future procedures.