The Epidemiology of Diverticulitis

Diverticular disease consists of diverticulosis and diverticulitis. Diverticulosis is commonly encountered, and approximately 4% of patients with diverticulosis will progress to develop diverticulitis, which represents a significant health care burden in the United States. Diverticular disease has an increasing incidence both in the United States and globally as important risk factors, including obesity, are becoming more prevalent. The pathophysiology of diverticular disease remains incompletely understood, although geographic and population-based differences in its prevalence and anatomic distribution have generated several hypotheses as to the impact of genetic and environmental factors on development and disease progression. Uncomplicated diverticulitis has had a low mortality rate for the last several decades, but in-hospital mortality approaches 7% for patients with complicated diverticulitis who require emergent surgery. For patients that develop diverticulitis, recent population-based data have led to an improved understanding of which patients will suffer recurrent episodes. This knowledge has facilitated informed discussions with patients and has changed practice in terms of elective surgery.