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History of Diverticulitis and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Men: A Cohort Study
Idy Tam1, Po-Hong Liu2,3, Wenjie Ma2,4
1Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
Insights
A history of diverticulitis may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). This association was particularly strong in men without pre-existing CVD risk factors, highlighting potential shared inflammatory pathways.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Gastroenterology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Diverticulitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are prevalent conditions.
- Both disorders may share common inflammatory underpinnings and risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between a history of diverticulitis and the risk of incident CVD.
- To explore if this association differs based on the presence of traditional CVD risk factors.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving 43,904 men aged 40-75 without prior CVD.
- Data collected via biennial/quadrennial self-reports and confirmed medical records from 1986-2012.
- Cox proportional hazard models used to assess CVD risk, with stratified analysis for CVD risk factors.
Main Results:
- Men with diverticulitis showed a higher incidence of CVD compared to those without (HR 1.35).
- The association between diverticulitis and subsequent CVD was more pronounced in men without known CVD risk factors (HR 4.06).
Conclusions:
- Diverticulitis may serve as an independent risk factor for incident CVD.
- Findings suggest potential common etiopathogenic mechanisms, emphasizing preventive strategies for CVD following diverticulitis diagnosis.
Background:
Diverticulitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are two highly prevalent disorders sharing common risk factors which are hypothesized to have an inflammatory basis.
Aims:
To examine the association between history of diverticulitis and risk of incident CVD.
Methods:
We conducted a prospective cohort study of 43,904 men aged 40 to 75 years without a history of CVD (fatal or nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke) at enrollment who were followed up from 1986 to 2012 in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Lifestyle factors, dietary intake, and disease information were self-reported biennially or quadrennially. Incident diverticulitis and CVD were confirmed by review of medical records. We used Cox proportional hazard models to calculate age- and multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of incident CVD. We conducted a stratified analysis according to the presence or absence of CVD risk factors (smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes).
Results:
We identified 3848 incident cases of CVD during 856,319 person-years of follow-up. Men with diverticulitis had higher incidence of CVD (727 cases per 100,000 person-years) compared to men without diverticulitis [446 cases per 100,000 person-years, multivariate HR of 1.35 (95% CI 1.07-1.70)]. The association of diverticulitis and subsequent CVD appeared more evident among men without known CVD risk factors (HR 4.06, 95% CI 2.04-8.08) compared to those with one or more CVD risk factors (HR 1.27, 95% CI 0.98-1.63).
Conclusions:
Diverticulitis may be an independent risk factor of incident CVD, suggesting possible common etiopathogenic mechanisms. Diagnosis of diverticulitis underscores the importance of preventive measures to reduce future CVD.
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