ANALYSIS AND CORRELATION OF THE BOSTON AND ARONCHICK CLASSIFICATIONS IN COLONOSCOPIES

Introduction The quality of bowel preparation is crucial for the success of colonoscopy and lesion detection. The Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS) and the Universal Preparation Assessment Scale (UPAS, also known as Aronchick) are widely used for this assessment. The BBPS evaluates three regions of the colon (right, transverse, and left), assigning scores from 0 to 3 for each, resulting in a total score between 0 and 9. The Aronchick scale, in turn, uses scores from 0 to 4. A good bowel preparation is indicated by a score of 5 or higher on the BBPS, while on the UPAS, a score of 1 or lower is considered efficient.

Objective To study the correlation between the Boston and Aronchick classifications in evaluating bowel preparation for colonoscopy.

Method Data from 775 colonoscopies performed at a university hospital in 2023 were analyzed. Bowel preparation quality was assessed using both the Boston and Aronchick scales, and the correlation between them was determined.

Results A total of 775 colonoscopy exams were performed, using both classifications to assess bowel preparation quality. According to the Boston scale, 733 patients (94.5%) had good preparation, while 570 patients (73.5%) had good preparation according to the Aronchick scale. The correlation analysis resulted in a Pearson coefficient of -0.809 (p < 0.001), indicating an extremely strong and significant correlation between the two scales. This suggests that both scales are highly consistent and can be used interchangeably in clinical practice.

Conclusion Both scales can be reliably used to assess bowel preparation in colonoscopies.

No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

Publication History

Article published online:
25 April 2025