J Korean Med Sci.  2010 Sep;25(9):1323-1329. 10.3346/jkms.2010.25.9.1323.

Clinical Significance of Colonic Diverticulosis Associated with Bowel Symptoms and Colon Polyp

• Lee KM
• Paik CN
• Chung WC
• Jung SH
• Chang UI
• Yang JM

• KMID: 1785912
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2010.25.9.1323

Abstract

This study was done to evaluate prospectively the clinical significance of colonic diverticulosis. In the 1,030 consecutive outpatients undergoing colonoscopy, the information on the demographics, the patterns of bowel symptoms, and the prevalence of colon polyp were analyzed according to the presence of colonic diverticulosis. The mean age of 1,030 patients were 52.2 yr and 59.3% were male. The prevalence of diverticulosis was 19.7% (203/1,030). Of 203 diverticulosis patients 85.2% were in proximal group, 5.4% in distal group and 9.4% in both group. Six (3.0%) patients were found to have diverticulitis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that an old age, diabetes and the presence of polyp were significant factors associated with proximal or both diverticulosis. A significant difference was demonstrated between the patients of distal diverticular group and the controls for the symptom frequency scores within the previous 4 weeks. The items, which showed difference, were hard stool, urgency, flatus, chest discomfort and frequent urination. In conclusion, old age, diabetes and the presence of colon polyp were associated with proximal diverticulosis. The temporal symptoms were more frequent in distal diverticulosis than in proximal diverticulosis in the study subjects.

Keyword

Diverticulosis, Colonic; Bowel Symptom; Colon Polyps; Colonoscopy

MeSH Terms

Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Colonic Diseases/diagnosis/epidemiology
Colonic Polyps/complications/*diagnosis
Colonoscopy
Diabetes Complications/complications/diagnosis
Diverticulitis/diagnosis/epidemiology
Diverticulosis, Colonic/complications/*diagnosis/epidemiology
Female
Flatulence/complications
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The enrolled patients for follow-up.

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  Fig. 2 The prevalence between the types of few, and the other types (several and many) of diverticulosis according to the sites of diverticulosis (chi-square test, P<0.01).

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  Fig. 3 Association between the diverticular group and bowel symptoms.

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  Fig. 4 Symptom frequency score in the diverticular groups and control. *P value <0.05; †P vaule <0.01.

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