Prior abdominal surgery as a potential risk factor for colonic diverticulosis or diverticulitis

Table 1 Demographic and epidemiologic characteristics of the patients with and without diverticulosis

Characteristics	Without diverticulitis, n = 268	With diverticulitis, n = 91	P value
Mean age	66.29	71.76	< 0.001
Male sex as %	53.7	52.7	0.870
Mean BMI	28.4	27.6	0.710
Origin			0.420
Israel	103 (38)	32 (35)
South Europe	93 (34)	27 (29)
Ethiopia	3 (1)	3 (3)
Sefaradi	58 (21)	24 (26)
Ashkenazi	11 (4)	5 (5)
Residence
Urban	254 (94)	85 (93)	0.620
Rural	14 (5)	6 (6)
Marital status
Married	179 (66)	23 (69)	0.660
Not married	89 (34)	28 (31)
Smoking
Never	123 (46)	52 (57)	0.190
Previous	90 (33)	24 (26)
Current	54 (20)	15 (16)
Alcohol
No drinking	196 (73)	67 (73)	0.920
Drinking	72 (27)	24 (27)
Red meat
None	23 (8)	4 (4)	0.065
< 3 times a week	213 (80)	83 (91)
> 3 times a week	28 (10)	4 (4)
Exercise
None	130 (48)	54 (59)	0.200
< 3 times a week	80 (30)	22 (24)
> 3 times a week	58 (21)	15 (16)
Education
< 12 yr	63 (23)	26 (28)	0.620
12 yr	84 (31)	27 (29)
> 12 yr	121 (45)	38 (41)
Chronic disease
Diabetes	98 (36)	31 (34)	0.660
IHD	57 (21)	23 (25)	0.420
HTN	156 (58)	62 (68)	0.094
COPD	22 (8)	7 (7)	0.870
CRF	17 (6)	4 (4)	0.490
Hypothyroidism	33 (12)	8 (8)	0.360
Vitamin D deficiency	103 (38)	31 (34)	0.450
Medications
Aspirin	97 (36)	34 (37)	0.840
NSAIDs	1 (0.4)	1 (1)	> 0.990
GC	2 (0.7)	4 (4)	0.038
Opiates	9 (3)	3 (3)	> 0.990
PPI	105 (39)	34 (37)	0.750

Data are n (%). BMI: Body mass index; COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CRF: Chronic renal failure; GC: Glucocorticoids; HTN: Hypertension; IHD: Ischemic heart disease; NSAIDS: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; PPI: Proton pump inhibitors.

Table 2 Clinical indication for colonoscopy and endoscopic findings

Features	Without diverticulitis, n = 268	With diverticulitis, n = 91	P value
Indication of colonoscopy			0.55
Screening	49 (18)	10 (11)
Abdominal pain	22 (8)	10 (11)
Anemia	40 (15)	18 (19)
Rectal bleeding	24 (9)	9 (10)
Positive FOBT	17 (6)	9 (10)
Diarrhea	20 (7.5)	5 (5)
Constipation	10 (3)	5 (5)
History of polyps	61 (22)	16 (17)
Other	24 (9)	9 (10)
Polyps			0.10
None	177 (66)	52 (58)
Hyperplastic	12 (4)	1 (1)
Adenoma	69 (26)	33 (37)
Malignant	6 (2)	1 (1)
Hyperplastic + adenoma	2 (0)	2 (2)

Data are n (%). FOBT: Fecal occult blood test.

Table 3 Association between previous surgery and diverticulosis

Feature	Without diverticulitis, n = 268	With diverticulitis, n = 91	P value
Any surgery	128 (47)	47 (49)	0.780
Ventral hernia	19 (7)	9 (9)	0.380
Inguinal hernia	18 (6)	16 (17)	0.002
Cholecystectomy	23 (8)	10 (11)	0.490
Gastric surgery	9 (3)	5 (5)	0.530
Appendectomy	39 (14)	6 (6)	0.048
Small bowel	6 (2)	0 (0)	0.340
Cesarean section	26 (9)	4 (4)	0.110
Gynecological	26 (9)	6 (6)	0.360
Urologic	12 (4)	6 (6)	0.410
Other	4 (1)	1 (1)	> 0.990

Data are n (%).

Table 4 Matching between patients with and without diverticulitis

Characteristics	Without diverticulitis, n = 59	With diverticulitis, n = 59	P value
Mean age	67	67	0.820
Male sex as %	57	57
Mean BMI	28	26	0.150
Origin			0.470
Israel	24 (47)	31 (52)
South Europe	19 (32)	12 (20)
Ethiopia	2 (3.4)	1 (1.7)
Sefaradi	12 (20)	11 (18)
Ashkenazi	2 (3)	4 (7)
Residence			0.620
Urban	56 (94)	58 (98)
Rural	3 (5)	1 (1)
Marital status			0.052
Married	36 (61)	46 (78)
Not married	23 (39)	13 (22)
Smoking			0.300
Never	32 (54)	23 (39)
Previous	15 (25)	25 (42)
Current	12 (20)	11 (18)
Alcohol			0.390
No drinking	80	83
Drinking	20	17
Red meat			0.280
None	1 (1.7)	5 (8)
< 3 times a week	54 (91)	48 (81)
> 3 times a week	4 (7)	6 (10)
Exercise			0.160
None	37 (62)	27 (45)
< 3 times a week	13 (22)	17 (29)
> 3 times a week	9 (15)	15 (25)
Education			0.820
Less than 12 yr	20 (56)	16 (44)
12 yr	18 (30)	18 (30)
More than 12 yr	21 (35)	24 (41)
Chronic disease
Diabetes	19 (32)	13 (22)	0.210
IHD	9 (15)	8 (13)	> 0.990
HTN	34 (58)	26 (44)	0.210
COPD	7 (11)	2 (3)	0.180
CRF	0 (0)	3 (5)	> 0.990
Hypothyroidism	6 (10)	6 (10)	> 0.990
Vitamin D def.	20 (34)	19 (32)	> 0.990
Medications
Aspirin	19 (32)	17 (28)	0.830
NSAIDs	1 (1.7)	1 (1.7)	> 0.990
GC	3 (5)	0 (0)	> 0.990
Opiates	2 (3)	0 (0)	> 0.990
PPI	20 (34)	16 (27)	0.540

Data are n (%). BMI: Body mass index; COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CRF: Chronic renal failure; GC: Glucocorticoids; HTN: Hypertension; IHD: Ischemic heart disease; NSAIDS: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; PPI: Proton pump inhibitors.

Table 5 Association between previous surgery and diverticulosis after matching between patients with and without diverticulitis

Feature	Without diverticulitis, n = 59	With diverticulitis, n = 59	P value
Surgery	20 (66)	28 (52)	0.2
Ventral hernia	6 (10)	2 (3)	0.29
Inguinal hernia	10 (17)	10 (17)	> 0.99
Cholecystectomy	8 (13)	6 (10)	0.79
Gastric surgery	4 (7)	3 (1)	> 0.99
Appendectomy	5 (8)	8 (13)	0.58
Small bowel	0 (0)	0 (0)	0.34
Cesarean section	4 (7)	3 (5)	> 0.99
Gynecological	7 (12)	7 (12)	> 0.99
Urologic	2 (3)	0 (0)	> 0.99
Other	0 (0)	1 (2)	> 0.99

Data are n (%).