An updated Cochrane review has evaluated the effects of propofol sedation for colonoscopy in adult patients compared to opioids or benzodiazepines, or both. The review only included randomized controlled trials.
Main results
In total, 33 studies were included, with a total of 12,485 participants.
- Propofol sedation may improve recovery time and patient satisfaction score compared to traditional sedative agents.
- Regarding time to discharge, the effect is uncertain.
- For pain scores, the effect is uncertain.
- Propofol likely results in little to no difference in cecal intubation rate.
- Propofol sedation may result in little to no difference in respiratory events requiring intervention and colonic perforations.
The certainty of the evidence was limited by unexplained statistical heterogeneity, wide confidence intervals, and some concerns regarding risk of bias, due primarily to lack of trial information.
Non‐anesthesiologist‐directed propofol sedation resulted in little to no difference in cecal intubation rate compared to anesthesiologist‐directed propofol sedation during colonoscopy, but may slightly reduce recovery time.
Authors' conclusions
Propofol sedation for colonoscopy may improve recovery time and patient satisfaction scores, without affecting cecal intubation, perforations, or respiratory events requiring intervention, compared to traditional sedative regimens.
Access the publication here: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006268.pub3
Congratulations to the authors: Garrett Johnson, George N Okoli, Nicole Askin, Ahmed M Abou-Setta, Harminder Singh