The Clinical Acceptability of Unsedated Colonoscopy

Patients were offered to undergo colonoscopy without routine premedication. In case of both acceptance and refusal, a brief questionnaire recording demographics (gender, age, level of education) and clinical features was prospectively recorded in a standard data sheet by one of the four endoscopists at enrollment. Clinical features recorded for each patient included: indication to the procedure, history of abdominal surgery or irritable bowel syndrome, presence of pain as main symptom, chronic use of sedative medications, level of patient's anxiety (none, mild, moderate or severe), main concern about the examination and reason for willing to attempt unsedated procedure.