A curious case of colitis.

Segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis (SCAD) is a rare variant of chronic colitis that is limited to segments of the left colon that harbor diverticula. Histologically, SCAD is known to mimic chronic idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease. Patients usually present with hematochezia and cramping abdominal pain; SCAD often resolves spontaneously without treatment, or completely after a limited course of therapy. Due to the histologic overlap with ulcerative colitis and occasional Crohn colitis, the implications of an inaccurate diagnosis are significant.

Animal Models of Diverticulosis: Review and Recommendations.

Diverticulosis is a structural alteration of the colon tissue characterized by the development of pouch-like structures called diverticula. It afflicts a significant portion of the population in Western countries, with a higher prevalence among the elderly. Diverticulosis is believed to be the result of a synergetic interaction between inherent tissue weakness, diet, colonic microstructure, motility, and genetic factors. A validated etiology has, however, not yet been established. Non-surgical treatment is currently lacking due to this poor understanding, and surgical colon resection is the only long-term solution following recurrent complications. With rising prevalence, the burden of diverticulosis on patients and hospital resources has increased over the past several years. More efficient and less invasive treatment approaches are, thus, urgently needed. Animal models of diverticulosis are crucial to enable a preclinical assessment and evaluation of such novel approaches. This review discusses the animal models of diverticulosis that have been proposed to date. The current models require either a significant amount of time to develop diverticulosis, present a relatively low success rate, or seriously deteriorate the animals' systemic health. Recommendations are thus provided to address these pitfalls through the selection of a suitable animal and the combination of multiple risk factors for diverticulosis.

Do Appendicitis and Diverticulitis Share a Common Pathological Link?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether there is an association between appendicitis and diverticulitis. DESIGN: This study is a retrospective cohort analysis. SETTING: This study was conducted in a subspecialty practice at a tertiary care facility. PATIENTS: We examined the rate of appendectomy among 4 cohorts of patients: 1) patients with incidentally identified diverticulosis on screening colonoscopy, 2) inpatients with medically treated diverticulitis, 3) patients who underwent left-sided colectomy for diverticulitis, and 4) patients who underwent colectomy for left-sided colorectal cancer. INTERVENTIONS: There were no interventions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measured was the appendectomy rate. RESULTS: We studied a total of 928 patients in this study. There were no differences in the patient characteristics of smoking status, nonsteroidal use, or history of irritable bowel syndrome across the 4 study groups. Patients with surgically treated diverticulitis had significantly more episodes of diverticulitis (2.8 ± 1.9) than the medically treated group (1.4 ± 0.8) (p < 0.0001). The rate of appendectomy was 8.2% for the diverticulosis control group, 13.5% in the cancer group, 23.5% in the medically treated diverticulitis group, and 24.5% in the surgically treated diverticulitis group (p < 0.0001). After adjusting for demographics and other clinical risk factors, patients with diverticulitis had 2.8 times higher odds of previous appendectomy (p < 0.001) than the control groups. LIMITATIONS: The retrospective study design is associated with selection, documentation, and recall bias. CONCLUSIONS: Our data reveal significantly higher appendectomy rates in patients with a diagnosis of diverticulitis, medically or surgically managed, in comparison with patients with incidentally identified diverticulosis. Therefore, we propose that appendicitis and diverticulitis share similar risk factors and potentially a common pathological link.

How to Differentiate Segmental Colitis Associated With Diverticulosis and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

The segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis," better known by its acronym "SCAD," is a chronic inflammatory process localized in the colonic area presenting diverticulosis, and therefore mainly in the sigmoid colon. By definition, both the rectum and the right colon are spared from any inflammation both endoscopically and from a histologic point of view. Recent data have hypothesized that SCAD may be an independent clinical entity within the inflammatory bowel disease set of diseases. Compared with inflammatory bowel disease, SCAD seems to have a more benign outcome, with low rate of complications.

Risk factors associated with colonic diverticulosis among patients from a defined geographic area.

BACKGROUND: Only a few data regarding colonic diverticulosis are available in Italy. We examined the frequency of colonic diverticulosis and its associations with risk factors in a homogeneous Northern Sardinian population undergoing colonoscopy for any reason in the last decades. METHODS: This was a retrospective single-center study. Medical records of patients undergoing colonoscopy for any indication between 1995 and 2013 were reviewed. Demographic information including age, gender, geographic area (urban, rural), marital status, smoking habit, occupation, body mass index, and comorbidities were collected. Presence, number, and extension of diverticula were assessed by colonoscopy. The diagnosis of diverticulosis was defined by the presence of more than five diverticula. RESULTS: A total of 4458 records were collected (39.8 % males). Analysis by birth cohorts showed a significant progressive age-related increase in the prevalence of diverticulosis. The average prevalence was 18.9 % without significant variation across the 19-year observation period. In 101 (12.1 %) subjects diverticula were single or few. Seventy-one percent of diverticula were located predominantly in the left side, 2 % in the right side, and 14.3 % were spread throughout the colon. There was a significant association with obesity but not with smoking habits, marital status, or urban versus rural environment. A strong association was observed between the presence of diverticulosis and cardiovascular and other gastrointestinal and lung disease (p < 0.0001). These associations were also confirmed by the logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In this endoscopic study, colonic diverticulosis in Northern Sardinia showed prevalence similar to other series in Western countries, and it was predominantly left sided and age related.

Right-Sided Diverticulosis and Disparities from Left-Sided Diverticulosis in the Vietnamese Population Living in Boston, Mass., USA: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To report the prevalence, clinical differences and complications of right-sided diverticulosis (RD) and to investigate the potential disparities from left-sided diverticulosis (LD) in the Vietnamese population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using medical records of Vietnamese-born patients from 2000 to 2013 in a community teaching hospital in Boston, Mass., USA. By simple randomization, a randomized control group of 299 Caucasian patients was also selected from the same time frame [167 males (M) and 132 females (F)]. Colonoscopy reports were reviewed for demographics (age and gender), indication and anatomical location of the colonic diverticulosis (CD), concomitant colonic findings, symptoms, and endoscopic complications. RESULTS: A total of 207 patients were included in the Vietnamese cohort (mean age 61.6 ± 8.9 years). The mean age at first screening colonoscopy was 58.2 ± 7.2 years (114 F/92 M, 55.7/44.4%). Our study identified 104 (50.5%) patients with LD (57 M/47 F), 65 (31.1%) with RD (35 M/30 F) and 38 (18.4%) with both LD and RD (23 M/15 F); 133 (64%) were asymptomatic. A total of 21 (33%) patients with RD were symptomatic. The mean age of the control group was 61.6 ± 8.1 years. The average age at first screening colonoscopy was 52.8 ± 6.4 years. Of the 299 in the Caucasian group, 254 (84.9%) had LD (114 M/140 F), 9 (3.0%) had RD (2 M/7 F) and 36 (12%) had both LD and RD (16 M/20 F); 225 (75%) were asymptomatic and came in for screening colonoscopies. A total of 2 patients (22%) with RD were symptomatic. CONCLUSION: RD was common in this Vietnamese population, and the prevalence was higher than in the Caucasian control group.

Increase in colonic diverticulosis and diverticular hemorrhage in an aging society: lessons from a 9-year colonoscopic study of 28,192 patients in Japan.

PURPOSES: Colonoscopic evidence of epidemiological trends in diverticulosis and diverticular bleeding is scarce. We evaluated trends in diverticular disease and associated factors over 9 years. METHODS: Twenty-eight thousand one hundred ninety-two patients who underwent colonoscopy at an emergency hospital were reviewed from an electronic endoscopy database. Diverticula were classified as right-sided, left-sided, and bilateral types, and time trends in the proportion in diverticulosis, type, and diverticular bleeding were determined. Associations of age (≤39, 40-59, and ≥60 years), sex, and year increase with disease and odds ratios were estimated using logistic regression. RESULTS: Diverticulosis was identified in 6,150 patients (20.3 %; mean age, 67.6 years) and was predominantly right-sided (48.0 %). Diverticular bleeding was found in 427 (1.5 %; mean age, 69.7 years) and was predominantly bilateral (47.0 %). Proportion of colonic diverticulosis increased significantly (P < 0.01 for trend) from 66.0 % (1,424/2,157) in 2003 to 70.1 % (2,914/4,159) in 2011 and was associated (P < 0.01) with an increased number of patients aged ≥60 years. Proportion of diverticular bleeding increased significantly (P < 0.01 for trend) from 1.02 % (22/2,157) in 2003 to 1.67 % (69/4,159) in 2011 and was associated (P = 0.04) with an increased number of patients aged 40-59 years. Diverticulosis, right and bilateral type, and diverticular bleeding were independently associated with the 9-year trend after adjustment by age and sex. CONCLUSIONS: Colonic diverticulosis and diverticular bleeding are prevalent and increasing in Japan. Given the significant association of age with this trend, both diseases can be expected to increase for decades to come.

Association between colonic diverticulosis and prevalence of colorectal polyps.

INTRODUCTION: Diverticulosis and colorectal polyps increase in frequency as the population ages. Proposed common mechanisms for both include lack of dietary fiber, increased saturated fats, and slow colonic transit time. The association of diverticulosis and colorectal polyps has been previously reported with conflicting results. Despite sharing common epidemiologic predisposing factors, the association between diverticulosis and colon polyps remains unclear and needs better clarification. AIM: The primary aim of our study is to evaluate if there is any association between diverticular disease and colorectal polyps. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study. All consecutive patients who underwent colonoscopy between January 2009 and December 2011 were included, except those with history of inflammatory bowel disease, polyposis syndrome, and poor bowel preparation. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the association between colon polyps and diverticulosis. Hyperplastic polyps were excluded from the statistical analysis, and only pre-cancerous adenomas were included. RESULTS: A total of 2,223 patients met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of colorectal polyps in patients with diverticulosis was significantly higher than those without diverticulosis (odds ratio (OR) 1.54; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.27-1.80, p = 0.001). This association was found significant for all locations of polyps and all histological subtypes. There was also a statistically significant association between age, presence of diverticulosis, and colorectal polyps (OR 1.03; 95 % CI 1.02-1.04). The incidence of colorectal polyps increases as age advances in patients with diverticulosis, with the highest association in patients >70 years of age (OR 3.55; 95 % CI 2.50-5.04). There was no significant association between indication for colonoscopy and presence of colorectal polyps in patients with diverticulosis (OR 0.98; 95 % CI 0.95-1.01). The incidence of diverticulitis was low (<1 %), and there was no association between diverticulitis and colon polyps. CONCLUSION: There is a significant association between diverticulosis and synchronous pre-cancerous colorectal polyps (adenomas). Patients with diverticulosis have a higher risk of colorectal polyps as compared to those without. This observation needs further validation by a large prospective cohort study.

In vitro motor patterns and electrophysiological changes in patients with colonic diverticular disease.

PURPOSE: The underlying mechanism responsible for motility changes in colonic diverticular disease (DD) is still unknown. In the present study, our aim was to investigate the structural and in vitro motor changes in the sigmoid colon of patients with DD. METHODS: Muscle bath, microelectrodes and immunohistochemical techniques were performed with samples obtained from the left and sigmoid colon of patients with DD and compared with those of patients without DD. RESULTS: The amplitude and area under the curve of the spontaneous rhythmic phasic contractions were greatly reduced in patients with DD whereas their frequency and tone remained unaltered. Electrical field stimulation induced a neurally mediated, enhanced ON-contraction (amplitude) in patients with DD and increased the duration of latency of OFF-contractions. The resting membrane potential of smooth muscle cells was hyperpolarized and the amplitude of the inhibitory junction potential was increased in patients with DD. In contrast, no significant histological differences were observed in patients with DD as smooth muscle (circular and longitudinal layers), interstitial cells of Cajal, glial cells and myenteric neurons densities remained unaltered. CONCLUSIONS: Sigmoid strips from patients with asymptomatic DD showed an altered motor pattern with reduced spontaneous motility and enhanced neurally mediated colonic responses involving both excitatory and inhibitory motor pathways. No major neural and muscular structural elements were detected at this stage of the disease. These findings could be valuable in understanding the pathophysiology of this prevalent digestive disease.

Asymptomatic diverticulosis identified by computed tomography is not a risk factor for enteric peritonitis.

BACKGROUND: Colonic diverticulitis is an important cause of polymicrobial peritonitis, which requires surgical treatment and cessation of peritoneal dialysis (PD). The aim of this study was to examine whether plain abdominal computed tomography (CT) is useful for evaluating colonic diverticulosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and to explore whether colonic diverticulosis is a risk factor for enteric peritonitis. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 137 consecutive CKD patients (Stage 4 or 5) who were candidates for PD from February 2005 to November 2009. Abdominal CT without contrast media was performed in all PD candidates. RESULTS: Diverticula of the colon were detected by plain CT in 57 cases (41.6%). The number of diverticula tended to increase with age. The most common site of involvement of diverticulosis was the ascending colon. In patients treated with PD, the incidence of peritonitis was higher in patients with diverticulosis than in those without diverticulosis (P = 0.004). However, only one episode of enteric peritonitis was observed among patients with diverticulosis. The presence of diverticulosis did not affect cumulative or technical survival. PD was not selected in four cases due to a high frequency of diverticula with episodes of abdominal pain. Two cases developed severe diverticulitis with peritonitis and underwent resection of the colon. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that plain CT examination is useful for detecting diverticulosis in CKD patients. Silent diverticulosis is not a risk factor for enteric diverticulosis-related peritonitis. PD may be contraindicated in cases having frequent diverticulosis with episodes of lower abdominal pain.

Is diverticular disease associated with colonic malignancy?

Colon cancer and diverticular disease have common characteristics; there are increases in the incidences in both disease entities and these diseases are more common in the westernized world. There is also an increase in the age-specific incidence with advancing age. Similar dietary features have been implicated for both diseases and already during the 1960s it was postulated by Burkitt that there is an association. Observational studies initially were able to demonstrate that patients with a history of diverticular disease of the colon had an increased risk of colon cancer, especially in the left side. However, the results from these studies have not been consistent, and problems like selection bias and confounding by indication have been major drawbacks in order to interpret the results and infer causality. Recent studies, which have had a better assessment of diverticular disease by new diagnostic methods, do not support such an association to the same extent as previously. Moreover, surveillance bias has become an increasing problem as patients with diverticular disease of the colon are subjected to a higher diagnostic intensity than other individuals in a population-based setting. A critical evaluation of the studies published so far therefore clearly indicates that the proposed association between diverticular disease and colonic malignancy is not evidence based, which should have an impact on clinical practice as well as on how to deal with these patient groups within the realms of a screening program.

Musosal tumour necrosis factor α in diverticular disease of the colon is overexpressed with disease severity.

AIM: Inflammation occurs in diverticular disease (DD), but there is little information on inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α). The aim of this study was to assess TNF-α expression in DD and to see whether it is related to the severity of the disease. METHOD: Twenty-four patients with symptomatic DD were divided into those with acute uncomplicated diverticulitis (AUD) (12 patients) and those with symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD) (12 patients). Twelve further patients with asymptomatic diverticulosis (AD), six with segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis (SCAD), with ulcerative colitis (UC) and six healthy individuals (HC) were enrolled as controls. TNF-α expression in the colonic mucosa was assessed by the amount of mRNA codifying for the synthesis of TNF-α. RESULTS: TNF-α expression was significantly higher in AUD than in HC (P=0.0007), in AD (P=0.0001) and in SUDD (P=0.0179). It was significantly higher also in SUDD than in HC (P=0.0007) and in AD (P=0.0001). TNF-α expression in AUD did not differ significantly from that in UC (P=0.0678) and SCAD (P=0.0610). It was significantly higher in UC, SCAD and AUD than in SUDD (P=0.0007, P=0.0001, P=0.0179). CONCLUSION: TNF-α expression in DD seems to be related to the severity of the disease. In particular, it appears to be overexpressed in DD with inflammation (AUD and SUDD) compared with DD without (AD).

[Colonic diverticular disease: diagnosis and therapy]. / A diverticularis betegség és kezelése.

Colonic diverticular disease is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders in the Western world, affecting approximately 50% of the population above the age of 70 years. Symptoms develop only in about one quarter of the affected individuals with complications in one-third of the symptomatic patients. Diagnosis is mostly confirmed by colonoscopy. Abdominal CT is the most sensitive for the diagnosis of complicated severe diverticulitis, while colonoscopy or in severe cases angiography may be performed in bleeding patients. Initial therapy of non-complicated symptomatic diverticulitis includes antibiotics and more recently non-absorbable antibiotics. In complicated cases should be treated with broad spectrum i.v. antibiotics, however surgery may became necessary in a minority of the cases. The proportion of patients needing acute surgical intervention has decreased in the last decades with the advancement of conservative management including medical therapy, endoscopy and imaging techniques and the indication of elective was also changed.

Absence of mucosal inflammation in uncomplicated diverticular disease.

BACKGROUND: Uncomplicated diverticular disease is a common condition in patients older than 50 years. Symptoms are aspecific and overlapping with those of irritable bowel syndrome. Nowadays, patients are often treated with antinflammatory drugs (5-aminosalicilic acid). AIM: Our purpose was to evaluate the presence of inflammation in the colonic mucosa of patients with symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease compared with subjects without diverticula. METHODS: Endoscopic biopsies of colon from 10 patients with symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease and 10 from subjects without diverticula (controls) were taken. Specimens were homogenised and IL2, IL4, IL5, IL8, IL10, IL12p70, IL13, IFN gamma, TNF alfa (searchlight multiplex technique), TGF beta, transglutaminase type 2 and caspase 9 were measured. Histochemistry for transglutaminase type 2 and TUNEL were performed on the histological sections, in addition to morphologic evaluation, as markers of tissue remodelling and apoptosis. For statistical analysis Student's t test and Spearman correlation test were used. RESULTS: No histological differences were detected between the patients with an uncomplicated diverticular disease and controls. Mean values of mucosal cytokines and of the other tested parameters did not show statistically significant differences between patients with uncomplicated diverticular disease and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Even if based on a small number of patients, the study demonstrates the absence of inflammation in the mucosa of subjects affected by uncomplicated diverticular disease.

[The role of immune system in development of structural changes in colonic mucosa in diverticulosis].

AIM: To determine the role of immune response with production of auto- and heterologous antibodies (Ab) in development of the pathological process and in structural changes in colon mucosa (CM) in diverticulosis (Dv). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Of 219 Dv patients, 39 were newly diagnosed with x-ray-detected signs of previous inflammation (group 1), 180 had earlier detected Dv which was confirmed and endoscopic examination detected inflammation (group 2). The comparison group consisted of 25 patients with irritable colon syndrome. The immune status was assessed by concentration of immunoglobulins (Ig), auto- and heterologous Ab. Antibodies to catalytic cytoplasmic antigens to proteinase-3, myeloperoxidase, bactericide protein BPI, tissue transglutaminase (tTG) and antiglycanic Ab were detected with solid-phase enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: IgA and IgG levels in group 2 were significantly higher than in group 1 and in the controls. Elevation of both IgA and IgG levels reflects activation of B-cell immunity. Group 2 patients had a higher level of Ab to endogenic peptides Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ASCA) of class IgG and IgA than group 1 and controls. The level of Ab to tissue molecules was elevated: antibodies to tTG IgG were detected in both groups--in group 2 twice more often than in group 1, while Ab to BPI--in 27% cases in group 1 and in 97%--in group 2. IgG Ab to antigens associated with phagocytic cells were detected in group 2, while Ab in group 1 were positive in single cases. CONCLUSION: Activation of immune response with a high concentration of IgA and IgG, Ab to tissue antigens (BPI, tTG) and IgGAb to catalytic antigens is characteristic of chronic course of Dv. Morphological changes in CM reflect different severity of inflammation-dystrophic process.

[Experimental model of the colonic diverticulum].

Diverticulosis was simulated by vacuum deformation of the wall of the rat caecum. It was shown that diverticulars was accompanied by a reduced electromotor activity of the cecum.