Prevalence and correlates of colonic diverticular disease in patients undergoing colonoscopy at a tertiary referral centre, Sri Lanka

Abstract

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Diverticula disease (DD) is increasing in prevalence across the world. We aimed to prevalence and correlates of DD in a tertiary referral centre in Sri Lanka.METHODS:This was a retrospective case record review, conducted at the University Gastroenterology Unit, Colombo North Teaching Hospital. All patients undergoing colonoscopies from January 2015-December 2017 were included. Failed or incomplete procedures (due to poor bowel preparation and technical difficulties) and repeat procedures in same individuals were excluded. Presence of one or more colonic diverticuli was considered as DD. RESULTS:2438/2486 (98%) patients [1283 (53%) males, mean-age 54.3 years] were included in this analysis DD was present in 203/2438 (8.3%) Distribution of diverticuli 58% right colon 25% left colon and 17% throughout Prevalence increased with age (p<0.05) (20% among patients >60 years) Gastrointestinal symptoms were present (either due to DD or other pathology) in 179 (90%). Amongst patients in whom DD was the only detectable pathology,adominal pain (17%), bleeding per rectum (17%), constipation (15%) and altered bowel habits (12%) were the common symptoms. Specific gender distribution or presence of ilea! or colonic inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, malignancies were not associated with DD. Although during univariate analysis presence of polyps was associated with DD (OR=l.6, p=0.02), in multivariate analysis this was confirmed to bean effect of age.CONCLUSION: DD was present in 8.3% undergoing colonoscopy in present study. Prevalence increased with age. Abdominal pain, bleeding per rectum and constipation were the common symptoms. Presence of DD was not associated with other sinister colonic pathology