Excessive Body Weight and Diverticular Disease.

BACKGROUND: The worldwide proportion of overweight adults almost doubled from 22% in 1975 to 39% in 2016. Comparably, for the USA and Germany in 2016, the proportion was 68 and 56.8%, respectively. In Olmsted County, Minnesota, the prevalence of diverticulitis also doubled between 1980 and 2007, from 19 to 40%. Obesity substantially increases the risk of multiple gastrointestinal (GI) diseases and non-GI diseases. In a narrative review, we examined the evidence on whether obesity also increases the risk for the development of diverticulosis or diverticular disease and its outcome. SUMMARY: Evidence suggests that being overweight (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2) or obese (≥30 kg/m2), especially viscerally obese, is a risk factor for diverticulosis, diverticular disease and diverticulitis, diverticular bleeding, more severe or complicated disease, recurrent disease, and for worse outcomes after surgery. KEY MESSAGES: There is a well-founded association between overweight and diverticular disease as well as diverticulosis. It is not clear whether overweight per se or confounders linked with it are responsible for the association. However, means to fight the overweight and obesity epidemic might also help to reduce the prevalence of morbidity and mortality from diverticular disease.

Lifestyle and other risk factors for diverticulitis.

Diverticulosis is a very common condition. Around 20% of the carriers of diverticula are believed to suffer from diverticular disease during their lifetime. This makes diverticular disease one of the clinically and economically most significant diseases in gastroenterology. The etiopathogenesis of diverticulosis and diverticular disease is not well understood. Epidemiological studies allow defining risk factors for the development of diverticulitis and its complications. A comprehensive literature search was performed and the current knowledge about risk factors for diverticulitis and associated conditions reviewed. Besides non-controllable risk factors like age and sex, lifestyle factors like food, drinks and physical activity, drugs are described to increase or decrease the risk to develop diverticulitis or to suffer from complications. The recognition of risk factors for the development of diverticular disease or even complicated disease like lifestyle habits or medication is crucial for patient management.

Risk Factors for Diverticulosis, Diverticulitis, Diverticular Perforation, and Bleeding: A Plea for More Subtle History Taking.

BACKGROUND: Diverticulosis is a very common condition. Around 20% of diverticula carriers are believed to suffer from diverticular disease during their lifetime. This makes diverticular disease one of the clinically and economically most significant conditions in gastroenterology. The etiopathogenesis of diverticulosis and diverticular disease is not well understood. Epidemiological studies allowed to define risk factors for the development of diverticulosis and the different disease entities associated with it, in particular diverticulitis, perforation, and diverticular bleeding. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed, and the current knowledge about risk factors for diverticulosis and associated conditions reviewed. RESULTS: Non-controllable risk factors like age, sex, and genetics, and controllable risk factors like foods, drinks, and physical activity were identified, as well as comorbidities and drugs which increase or decrease the risk of developing diverticula or of suffering from complications. In naming risk factors, it is of utmost importance to differentiate between diverticulosis and the different disease entities. CONCLUSION: Risk factors for diverticulosis and diverticular disease may give a clue towards the possible etiopathogenesis of the conditions. More importantly, knowledge of comorbidities and particularly drugs conferring a risk for development of complicated disease is crucial for patient management.

Proteinase-Activated Receptors: New Functions for Old Enzymes.

Although proteases are traditionally viewed as degradative enzymes, characterization of a family of G protein-coupled receptors that are activated by proteolysis reveals a new role. Certain proteases function as signaling molecules that specifically regulate cells by cleaving and activating a family of proteinase-activated receptors.