Diverticulitis Becoming More Prevalent Amongst Younger Generations: What to Look For?
Keywords:
diverticula, diverticulosis, diverticulitis, tick, gastrointestinal, gastroenterology, sigmoid diverticula, colonoscopyAbstract
Diverticular disease has been a common occurrence in the later generation of life but is now starting to become prevalent amongst people under 40. The ramifications for misdiagnosing diverticulitis as acute appendicitis or enteritis could pose a problem for the future need of resection in individuals diagnosed at an earlier age. This case report presents a 29-year-old male with severe repeat diverticulitis events necessitating resection. He presented to the emergency department 3 times with a progressive diverticular episode that led to abscess and perforation formation. He states he was never told about the importance of nutrition and fiber for prevention of worsening diverticular disease. Physicians should keep diverticulitis on the differential when young patients present with tachycardia, leukocytosis, and lower abdominal pain.
References
Diverticulosis - Stat Pearls - NCBI Bookshelf. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430771/
Matrana MR, Margolin DA. Epidemiology and pathophysiology of diverticular disease. Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2009 Aug;22(3):141-6. doi: 10.1055/s-0029-1236157. PMID: 20676256; PMCID: PMC2780269.
Acute diverticulitis - statpearls - NCBI bookshelf. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459316/
Razik, R., Chong, C. A., & Nguyen, G. C. (2013, February). Younger age and prognosis in diverticulitis: A nationwide retrospective cohort study. Canadian journal of gastroenterology = Journal canadien de gastroenterologie. Retrieved January 15, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3731120/
Kang JY, Hoare J, Tinto A, et al. Diverticular disease of the colon – on the rise: A study of hospital admissions in England between 1989/1990 and 1999/2000. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2003; 17:1189-95.
Spiridakis KG, Intzepogazoglou DS, Flamourakis ME, Sfakianakis EE, Gkionis IG, Strataki KG, Tsagataki ES, Kostakis GE, Christodoulakis MS. Acute diverticulitis in patients under 50 years of age. G Chir. 2018 Sep-Oct;34(5):319-322. PMID: 30444482.
A Marinella, M., MustafaMD, M., Labs, J. D., Neff, C. C., Chodak, G. W., Schauer, P. R., Herfel, R. F., Pohlman, T., Ferzoco, L. B., Vignati, P. V., & Freeman, S. R. (2004, August 3). Acute diverticulitis in patients 40 years of age and younger. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. Retrieved January 15, 2023, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0735675700900044?via%3Dihub 8.8.
Kijsirichareanchai, K., Mankongpaisarnrung, C., Sutamtewagul, G., Nugent, K., & Rakvit, A. (2014). Diverticulitis in the young. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 6(1), 29–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/2150131914548512
Pisanu, A., Vacca, V., Reccia, I., Podda, M., & Uccheddu, A. (2013). Acute diverticulitis in the young: The same disease in a different patient. Gastroenterology Research and Practice, 2013, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/867961
Faria, G. R. (2011). Acute diverticulitis in younger patients: Any rationale for a different approach? World Journal of Gastroenterology, 17(2), 207. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v17.i2.207
Yeo, Li-Xian, et al. “Hypertension Control and Risk of Colonic Diverticulosis.” Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology, vol. 12, Jan. 2019, p. 175628481985573, https://doi.org/10.1177/1756284819855734. Accessed 24 Aug. 2022.
Tursi, Antonio, et al. “Ulcerative Colitis after Complicated Diverticulitis.” ACG Case Reports Journal, vol. 10, no. 3, 1 Mar. 2023, p. e01013, journals.lww.com/acgcr/Fulltext/2023/03000/Ulcerative_Colitis_After_Complicated.10.aspx., https://doi.org/10.14309/crj.0000000000001013. Accessed 29 Sept. 2023.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Bianca Glass, Samir Dalia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Creative Commons License All articles published in Annals of Medicine and Medical Sciences are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
