Appropriateness of colonoscopy: Diagnostic yield and safety in guidelines

Table 2 921 indications in 866 appropriate colonoscopies

ASGE/SIED guidelines	n	%
Haematochezia	218	23.7
Occult faecal blood presence	154	16.7
Surveillance after endoscopic polypectomy	136	14.7
(3-5 yr intervals following adequate clearance of neoplastic polyps)
Persistent change in bowel habits	105	11.4
Surveillance after resection of cancer	100	10.8
(colonoscopy to remove synchronous neoplastic lesion at or around time of curative resection of cancer followed by colonoscopy at 3 yr and 3-5 yr thereafter to detect metachronous cancer)
Chronic abdominal pain	57	6.2
Unexplained iron deficiency anemia	54	5.9
Family history of sporadic colorectal cancer before the age of 60: colonoscopy every 5 yr beginning at the age of 10 yr earlier than the affected relative or every 3 yr if adenoma is found	42	4.6
Abnormality on imaging	28	3.0
Unexplained weight loss	18	1.9
Chronic inflammatory bowel disease of colon, if more precise diagnosis or determination of the extent of activity of disease will influence immediate management	9	1.0
In patients with ulcerative or Crohn’s pancolitis ≥ 8 yr or left sided colitis ≥ 15 yr every 1-2 yr with systematic biopsies to detect dysplasia