Diverticular disease of the colon: New perspectives in symptom development and treatment

Table 1 Classification of diverticular diseases of the colon

Clinical classification (modified from ref. 5)

· Symptomatic uncomplicated disease

· Recurrent symptomatic disease

· Complicated disease (haemorrhage, abscess, phlegmon, perforation, purulent and faecal peritonitis, stricture, fistula, small-bowel obstruction due to post-inflammatory adhesions)

Modified Hinchey classification (modified from refs. 41, 71)

· Stage I: pericolic abscess

· Stage IIa: distant abscess amenable to percutaneous drainage

· Stage IIb: complex abscess associated with/without fistula

· Stage III: generalized purulent peritonitis

· Stage IV: faecal peritonitis

Table 2 Effects of rifaximin (R) administration on symptoms in patients with diverticular disease

First author (year, ref)	Pts (n)	Treatment (type)	Duration (months)	Reduction in symptoms(%)	P
Papi (1992, 64)	217	R (400 mg daily) + glucomannan (2 g daily) vs glucomannan	12	63.9 vs 47.6	< 0.001
Papi (1995, 65)	168	R (400 mg daily) + glucomannan (2 g daily) vs placebo +glucomannan	12	68.9 vs 38.5	< 0.001
Latella (2003, 66)	968	R (400 mg daily) + glucomannan (4 g daily) vs glucomannan	12	56.5 vs 29.2	< 0.001