High-Resolution Colonic Manometry Pressure Profiles Are Similar in Asymptomatic Diverticulosis and Controls

Elevated colonic pressures and increased colonic activity have been thought to contribute to the pathophysiology of diverticulosis. However, evidence for this has been limited to low-resolution manometry, which is of limited accuracy.

This study aimed to evaluate the contraction pressures, counts, and distance of propagation recorded by high-resolution colonic manometry in diverticulosis vs control patients.

High-resolution colonic manometry was used to record descending and sigmoid colon activity pre- and post-meal in patients with established, asymptomatic diverticulosis and in healthy controls. Antegrade and retrograde propagating contractions, distance of propagation (mm), and mean contraction pressures (mmHg) in the descending and sigmoid colon were compared between patients and controls for all isolated propagating contractions, the cyclic motor pattern, and high-amplitude propagating contractions independently.

Mean manometry pressures were not different between controls and diverticulosis patients (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). In the descending colon, diverticulosis patients had lower post-meal mean distance of propagation for all propagating contractions [10.8 (SE1.5) mm vs 20.0 (2.0) mm, p = 0.003] and the cyclic motor pattern [6.0 (2.5) mm vs 17.1 (2.8) mm, p = 0.01]. In the sigmoid colon, diverticulosis patients showed lower post-meal mean distance of propagation for all propagating contractions [10.8 (1.5) mm vs 20.2 (5.9) mm, p = 0.01] and a lower post-meal increase in retrograde propagating contractions (p = 0.04).

In this first high-resolution colonic manometry study of patients with diverticular disease, we did not find evidence for increased manometric pressures or increased colonic activity in patients with diverticular disease.