Administering simethicone on same day as colonoscopy maximizes benefits

Administering simethicone before a colonoscopy effectively reduces the presence of bubbles and facilitates a more successful procedure, according to a study, which also found that administering simethicone on the day of the examination yielded the most favorable outcomes, regardless of bowel preparation.

In this study, 204 patients were randomly assigned into 5 different groups based on the timing of simethicone administration. Four groups were divided according to 2 parameters: administration on the day before and on the day of colonoscopy, and administration before and after bowel cleansing. The remaining group served as the control group, where no simethicone was given.

The researchers compared several factors, including the bubble score, the number of simethicone solution irrigations required when visual obstruction occurred, the satisfaction score of the endoscopist, and the insertion time.

There was a significant difference in the bubble score based on the timing of simethicone administration (P < 0.001). The group that took simethicone on the day of the colonoscopy showed a significantly better bubble score compared to the group that took simethicone the day before (P < 0.001). In addition, the group that took simethicone on the previous day had a better bubble score than the control group (P = 0.001).

The group that received simethicone on the day of the examination required fewer irrigations and had higher satisfaction ratings among the endoscopists, compared to both the group that took simethicone on the previous day and the control group (both P < 0.001). Although the insertion time exhibited a non-significantly decreasing trend, it did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.417).

Reference
Jung W, Oh GM, Kim JH, et al. When should patients take simethicone orally before colonoscopy for avoiding bubbles: A single-blind, randomized controlled study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023;102(19):e33728. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000033728. PMID: 37171339; PMCID: PMC10174409.