Diverticulitis more common in young adults

Oct 09 (HealthCentersOnline) - Acute diverticulitis is becoming increasingly common among younger urban men, and may be attributed to the prevalence of high-fat, low-residue, fiber-deficient diets in this population.

A recent study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology shows that the majority of patients (53.8 percent) diagnosed with acute diverticulitis by CAT scan in an urban medical center were younger than 50 years of age. Furthermore, over one-fifth (21.2 percent) were less than 40 years of age.

The study consisted of 55 men and 49 women, ranging in age from 22 to 88 years of age. It was conducted by researchers from the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

Diverticulitis is caused by the infection and resulting inflammation of diverticula, or small abnormal sacs, in the large intestine. The diverticula may become infected when stool is caught in them. This may interrupt the blood flow to the diverticulum and allow bacteria to accumulate. Infection may also occur when the wall of a diverticulum erodes and forms a small tear. It was once believed that diverticulitis was caused when food got caught in the diverticula, but this is no longer believed to be true. In general, the risk for diverticulitis increases with age.

The study showed that the predominant risk factor associated with developing diverticulitis relatively early appears to be obesity. Diverticulitis patients below the age of 50 were characterized as abdominally obese 85.7 percent of the time, compared to patients above the age of 50 who were deemed abdominally obese somewhat less frequently (77 percent). The majority of younger patients were male (63.6 percent).

"Traditionally, acute diverticulitis has not been considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in young patients, so it is important that radiologists understand the changing nature of this common disease," study authors Dr. Eram Zaidi and Dr. Barry Daly said in a recent news release.

The study challenged previous assertions that diverticulitis is becoming more aggressive in younger patients. Despite the increase in overall frequency of the disease among people less than 50 years old, the need for surgery to manage the condition remained at about the same level as it did for older diverticulitis patients.