Diverticulosis much less risky than previously thought, UCLA researchers find

People who have diverticulosis, pouches in the lining of the colon, often worry that they will develop a painful and sometimes serious condition called diverticulitis. After all, previous research showed that up to one in four, or 25 percent, eventually would.   Now, in a 15-year study that contradicts the common wisdom on the rate of progression from diverticulosis to diverticulitis, UCLA researchers demonstrate that the risk is significantly lower than previously thought — about 1 percent over seven years. The researchers also found that those diagnosed with diverticulosis at a younger age are more likely to progress to diverticulitis than those diagnosed at an older age.   The study will help inform patients with diverticulosis — particularly those diagnosed at a younger age — and their physicians about the risks of developing acute diverticulitis, said study senior author Dr. Brennan Spiegel, an associate professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.   "These colon pouches are commonly detected during colonoscopy, and patients wonder if they are important and what to do with them," Spiegel said. "In short, diverticulosis is not something to worry much about. Chances are low that something will happen."   The study appears in the December edition of the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.   As they age, most people develop diverticulosis. More than half of people o...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news