Dietary fibers in the preparation of the bowel for diagnostic barium enema.

The effect on colon cleanness of adding dietary fiber or placebo to a standard bowel preparation scheme before diagnostic barium enemas was tested in a randomized, double-blind study including 120 consecutive outpatients admitted for diagnostic barium enemas. Colon cleanness was scored as satisfactory, intermediate, or unsatisfactory. No case of unsatisfactory cleansing appeared in the group given fiber. Mean score was slightly better in the fiber group but the difference was not statistically significant. Dietary fiber does not have a negative effect on colon cleansing but may instead have a beneficial effect, which is possibly more pronounced in patients with constipation.