Diverticulitis in the Under-40 Population

Background: As obesity and lifestyle factors become more prevalent in younger populations, we are diagnosing and treating diverticulitis in younger patients. In this study, the demographics, risk factors for the development, and treatment of acute diverticulitis were assessed focusing on patients under the age of 40.

Methods: A retrospective review of the electronic medical records of a cohort of subjects diagnosed with diverticulitis was performed. Inclusion criteria included patients aged 18-40 who were treated for acute diverticulitis with or without any complications.

Results: Of the 109 patients, 40 patients required surgery, and 69 patients were managed conservatively. Analysis showed that the Hinchey classification (p<0.001) was the strongest predictor of treatment modality.

Conclusions: As the incidence of diverticulitis has increased in recent decades, so too has the frequency with which elective surgical procedures are performed as treatment. While these procedures are vital components in the management of diverticulitis, the majority of research comparing conservative versus surgical treatments has been done in patients over 50 years old. Although diverticulitis has been classically thought of as a disease of the elderly, it has become more prevalent in younger populations due to the rise of obesity and lifestyle modification in the under-40 population. Although the prevalence of treatment and diagnosis of acute diverticulitis in younger patients has risen, there is a paucity of data surrounding treatment protocols for diverticulitis in association with patient symptoms for patients under the age of 40 years old. Our study has found that there is a higher incidence of complications in diverticulitis in patients under the age of 40. Additionally, when considering the pattern of complication presentation in younger patients with complicated diverticulitis, surgical intervention might not be appropriate. The current treatment algorithm relates diverticulitis complications with surgical interventions. However, our data suggest that patients under the age of 40 presenting with abscesses or strictures may not need surgical intervention. This information could be particularly helpful in guiding physicians and younger patients in selecting the best choice of care and minimizing complications. Additionally, further research should help guide treatment protocol in this specific population of patients, as there is a lack of established guidelines pertaining to diverticulitis surrounding younger patients.