Acute Colonic Diverticulitis
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Annals of Internal Medicineᮋ In the Clinic® Acute Colonic Diverticulitis Diagnosis cute colonic diverticulitis is a gastrointes- tinal condition frequently encountered Aby primary care practitioners, hospital- Treatment ists, surgeons, and gastroenterologists. Clinical presentation ranges from mild abdominal pain to peritonitis with sepsis. It can often be diag- Practice Improvement nosed on the basis of clinical features alone, but imaging is necessary in more severe presenta- tions to rule out such complications as abscess and perforation. Treatment depends on the se- verity of the presentation, presence of compli- cations, and underlying comorbid conditions. Medical and surgical treatment algorithms are evolving. This article provides an evidence- based, clinically relevant overview of the epide- miology, diagnosis, and treatment of acute diverticulitis. CME/MOC activity available at Annals.org. Physician Writers doi:10.7326/AITC201805010 Sophia M. Swanson, MD Lisa L. Strate, MD, MPH CME Objective: To review current evidence for diagnosis, treatment, and practice From the University of improvement of acute colonic diverticulitis. Washington School of Funding Source: American College of Physicians. Medicine, Seattle, Washington. Disclosures: Dr. Swanson, ACP Contributing Author, has disclosed no conflicts of interest. Dr. Strate, ACP Contributing Author, reports grants from the National Institutes of Health during the conduct of the study. Disclosures can also be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje /ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M18-0023. With the assistance of additional physician writers, the editors of Annals of Internal Medi- cine develop In the Clinic using MKSAP and other resources of the American College of Physicians. In the Clinic does not necessarily represent official ACP clinical policy. For ACP clinical guidelines, please go to https://www.acponline.org/clinical_information/guidelines/. © 2018 American College of Physicians Downloaded From: http://annals.org/ by Aland Bisso Andrade on 04/30/2018 Acute colonic diverticulitis is a ence of complications and co- 1. Wheat CL, Strate LL. Trends in hospitalization gastrointestinal condition com- morbid diseases. Antibiotics for diverticulitis and diver- monly seen in the outpatient and have been the mainstay of ther- ticular bleeding in the United States from 2000 inpatient settings. The preva- apy, although recent studies indi- to 2010. Clin Gastroen- terol Hepatol. 2016;14: lence of diverticulitis in the cate that selected patients with 96-103.e1. [PMID: United States has increased dra- uncomplicated diverticulitis can 25862988] 2. Bharucha AE, Parthasara- matically over the past several be safely managed without anti- thy G, Ditah I, Fletcher JG, decades and is estimated to be biotics. Patients with complicated Ewelukwa O, Pendlimari R, et al. Temporal trends 180 cases per 100 000 persons disease often require surgical in the incidence and natu- ral history of diverticulitis: per year (1, 2). Most patients with intervention. A population-based study. diverticulitis are older than 50 Am J Gastroenterol. 2015; Diverticulosis is necessary for the 110:1589-96. [PMID: years; however, it is increasingly 26416187] being seen in younger persons. development of diverticulitis. In- 3. Shahedi K, Fuller G, Bolus creasing age is an important risk R, Cohen E, Vu M, Shah R, Diverticulitis is more common in et al. Long-term risk of factor for both diverticulosis and acute diverticulitis among women than in men, particularly patients with incidental after the sixth decade of life, and diverticulitis; obesity and smok- diverticulosis found dur- ing also increase the likelihood of ing colonoscopy. Clin in white persons than in other Gastroenterol Hepatol. diverticulosis (5). Low fiber intake 2013;11:1609-13. [PMID: racial groups (1). 23856358] and constipation have historically 4. Laurell H, Hansson LE, Diverticulosis is a condition in been regarded as the predomi- Gunnarsson U. Acute diverticulitis—clinical pre- which outpouchings, or divertic- nant risk factors for diverticulosis, sentation and differential ula, develop in the colon. Most based on ecological studies from diagnostics. Colorectal Dis. 2007;9:496-501. [PMID: patients with diverticulosis are the 1960s. However, these stud- 17573742] 5. Peery AF, Sandler RS, asymptomatic. However, 1%–4% ies relied on broad regional di- Ahnen DJ, Galanko JA, of patients with diverticulosis de- etary habits rather than actual Holm AN, Shaukat A, et al. Constipation and a low- velop diverticulitis (3). Of those intake among individual patients fiber diet are not associ- with incident disease, approxi- and did not control for age or ated with diverticulosis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepa- mately 20% have 1 or more re- other important confounders. tol. 2013;11:1622-7. [PMID: 23891924] current episodes within 10 years Two recent cross-sectional stud- 6. Peery AF, Barrett PR, Park (2). Diverticulitis is characterized ies indicated that low fiber intake D, Rogers AJ, Galanko JA, Martin CF, et al. A high- by inflammation of one or several and constipation did not increase fiber diet does not protect adjacent diverticula and the sur- risk for diverticulosis after other against asymptomatic diverticulosis. Gastroenter- rounding colon. Patients with di- potential risk factors were con- ology. 2012;142:266- 72.e1. [PMID: 22062360] verticulitis present with acute or trolled for (5, 6). 7. Liu PH, Cao Y, Keeley BR, subacute onset of abdominal Tam I, Wu K, Strate LL, However, diet and lifestyle are et al. Adherence to a pain typically occurring in the left healthy lifestyle is associ- lower abdominal quadrant. important contributors to diver- ated with a lower risk of ticulitis. Low fiber intake, high red diverticulitis among men. Other common presenting signs Am J Gastroenterol. 2017; meat intake, obesity, physical 112:1868-1876. [PMID: and symptoms include nausea 29112202] without vomiting, low-grade fe- inactivity, and smoking are all 8. Strate LL, Keeley BR, Cao associated with increased risk Y, Wu K, Giovannucci EL, ver, change in bowel habits, and Chan AT. Western dietary elevated leukocyte count and (7–12). One study found that 50% pattern increases, and of cases could be prevented with prudent dietary pattern inflammatory markers (4). decreases, risk of incident adherence to a healthy lifestyle, diverticulitis in a prospec- tive cohort study. Gastro- Diverticulitis can be categorized including fiber intake exceeding enterology. 2017;152: as uncomplicated or compli- 23 grams per day, red meat in- 1023-1030.e2. [PMID: 28065788] cated. Uncomplicated divertic- take less than 51 grams per day, 9. Strate LL, Liu YL, Aldoori WH, Giovannucci EL. Phys- ulitis involves thickening of the vigorous physical activity for 2 ical activity decreases colon wall and pericolonic in- hours per week, body mass index diverticular complications. 2 Am J Gastroenterol. 2009; flammatory changes. Compli- less than 25 kg/m , and avoid- 104:1221-30. [PMID: cated disease also includes ab- ance of smoking (9). Dietary pat- 19367267] 10. Strate LL, Liu YL, Aldoori scess, peritonitis, obstruction, terns also seem to be important. WH, Syngal S, Giovan- nucci EL. Obesity in- and/or fistula. Approximately A Western dietary pattern high in creases the risks of diver- 12% of patients with diverticulitis red meat, refined grains, and ticulitis and diverticular bleeding. Gastroenterol- present with complicated disease fatty dairy foods is associated ogy. 2009;136:115- (2). Management depends on with increased risk for diverticuli- 122.e1. [PMID: 18996378] disease severity and the pres- tis, whereas a diet high in fruits, 2018 American College of Physicians ITC66 In the Clinic Annals of Internal Medicine 1 May 2018 Downloaded From: http://annals.org/ by Aland Bisso Andrade on 04/30/2018 vegetables, and whole grains is a 70% increased risk. Nonaspirin associated with decreased risk NSAIDs pose a greater risk than (10). Alcohol use, particularly aspirin, particularly for compli- heavy use, may be a risk factor cated diverticulitis (11). Cortico- for diverticulitis, but the evidence steroids and opiate analgesics is conflicting (13). Consumption also seem to increase risk (15). of nuts, corn, and seeds is no lon- 11. Strate LL, Liu YL, Huang ger believed to increase risk for ES, Giovannucci EL, Chan Patients with a family history of AT. Use of aspirin or diverticulitis, based on a large diverticulitis are at increased risk. nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs prospective study of men (14). Genetic factors are estimated to increases risk for divertic- ulitis and diverticular Several medications are associ- account for 50% of the suscepti- bleeding. Gastroenterol- ogy. 2011;140:1427-33. ated with increased risk for bility to diverticular disease (16), [PMID: 21320500] although genetic markers have 12. Hjern F, Wolk A, Håkans- diverticulitis (13, 15). Regular use son N. Smoking and the (≥2 times per week) of nonaspirin not been identified. Low vitamin risk of diverticular dis- ease in women. Br J nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory D levels may predispose the pa- Surg. 2011;98:997- drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with tient to diverticulitis (17). 1002. [PMID: 21462366] 13. Tønnesen H, Engholm G, Moller H. Association between alcoholism and Diagnosis diverticulitis. Br J Surg. 1999;86:1067-8. [PMID: What are the symptoms of the presence of fecaluria, pneu- 10460645] 14. Strate LL, Liu YL, Syngal diverticulitis? maturia, or pyuria signifies the S, Aldoori WH, Giovan- presence of a colovesical fistula, nucci