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Evidence summaries

Chromoscopy Versus Conventional Endoscopy for the Detection of Polyps in the Colon and Rectum

Chromoscopy compared with conventional endoscopy appear to enhance the detection of neoplasia in the colon and rectum. Level of evidence: "B"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 7 studies with a total of 2727 subjects. In particular, chromoscopy was likely to yield significantly more people with at least one neoplastic lesion (odds ratio (OR) 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31 to 1.79; 7 trials; 2727 participants), and at least one diminutive neoplastic lesion (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.92; 4 trials; 1757 participants). Significantly more people with three or more neoplastic lesions were also detected, but only when studies that used high-definition colonoscopy in the control group were excluded (OR 4.63, 95% CI 1.99 to 10.80; 2 trials; 519 participants). None of the included studies reported any adverse events related to the use of the contrast dye.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by by indirectness (follow-up of the participants not carried out and no data on important clinical outcomes, e.g. cancer incidence and survival).

References

  • Brown SR, Baraza W, Din S et al. Chromoscopy versus conventional endoscopy for the detection of polyps in the colon and rectum. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016;4():CD006439. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords