The relationship of the complicated diverticulitis to obesity

Abstract

Background: Diverticulitis is relatively common disease, and the prevalence is increasing. Most of diverticulitis patients are cured without complications, but some patients undergo severe complications such as abscess formation, bowel perforation, and recurrence. Recently, several studies showed that there is relationship between the complications of diverticulitis and obesity. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of the complications of diverticular disease to the obesity, especially visceral obesity. Methods: The study was based on a retrospective case note review which was conducted at the Hanyang university hospital, between 1/1/2003 and 31/12/2007. Patients were diagnosed as diverticulitis with their clinical symptoms and abdominal CT findings. Patients were divided into two groups, those admitted with complicated diverticulitis (abscess formation, diverticular perforation, recurrent diverticulitis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome) and simple episode of diverticulitis. We compared the Body mass index, degree of visceral obesity (measured with abdominal CT; visceral fat area, total fat area, the ratio of visceral fat area and subcutaneous fat area) between groups. Results: 140 patients were studied. There were 46 female(32.9%) and 94 male(67.1%). The mean age was 42years, and there was no significant difference between groups. The numbers of simple diverticulitis patients were 91(65%) and complicated diverticulitis patients were 49(35%). In complicated diverticulitis patients group, recurrent diverticulitis patients were 9(6.4%), perforation or abscess patients were 29(20.7%), and patients with SIRS are 28(20%). The complicated diverticulitis group had significant higher visceral fat area (p=0.032), and the ratio of visceral fat area/subcutaneous fat area (p=0.014). But there is no significant difference between two groups in BMI (p=0.229), total cholesterol (p=0.598), HDL (p=0.081), LDL (p=0.525). Conclusion: The study shows that visceral obesity is significantly associated with complications of diverticulitis.