The effects of enteral nutrition in the bowel preparation in patients with diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of enteral nutrients in diabetic patients with fibrocolonoscopy. Materials and Methods: A total of 58 diabetic patients undergoing fibrocolonoscopy from January 2017 to December 2017 were included as the traditional bowel preparation group. The patients took traditional semi-flow diet and catharsis as intestinal preparation and were given health education. Sixty patients treated with fibrocolonoscopy from July to December in 2018 were included as the enteral nutrition group and received enteral nutrients and catharsis as intestinal preparation and were given modified health education. The incidence of hypoglycemia during intestinal preparation was compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 20 (34.48%) patients in the traditional bowel preparation group had hypoglycemia (including asymptomatic hypoglycemia) during bowel preparation, with the total frequency of 40. The blood glucose level fluctuated between 1.7 and 3.9 mmol/L. Only five patients in the enteral nutrition group had hypoglycemia (including asymptomatic hypoglycemia) during bowel preparation. The incidence of hypoglycemia was lower in the enteral nutrition group than that in the traditional bowel preparation group (χ2 = 4.937, P = 0.026). Conclusion: The enteral nutrients as diet for fibrocolonoscopy bowel preparation and strengthening health education could reduce the incidence of hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes during bowel preparation and ensure patient safety.

Keywords

• bowel preparation
• colonoscopy
• diabetes mellitus
• enteral nutrition
• hypoglycemia