Diverticulosis and cardiometabolic risk factors: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Background There is a hypothesis of an association between diverticulosis and metabolic syndrome (MS) or its components, but data on this topic are inconsistent, and a systematic review has not been performed. We conducted a systematic review to investigate the possible association between cardiometabolic risk factors and diverticulosis. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted via PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science in December 2022 to collect the necessary data. Studies that examined the association between MS or individual metabolic factors and asymptomatic diverticulosis were included in the review. Results Of the potentially relevant articles identified via PubMed (477), Cochrane Library (224), and Web of Science (296), 29 articles met the inclusion criteria and were used for this work. These studies were assessed for study quality using GRADE. Overall, 6 studies were rated as “very low,” 19 studies as “low,” and 4 studies as “moderate.” The data suggest an association between arterial hypertension, obesity, and fatty liver disease in younger patients and diverticulosis. Patient age appears to play an important role in diverticular formation. Data on diabetes mellitus is inconclusive and may require further investigation depending on the location of the diverticula. Conclusion Based on the synthesized data, there is an association between arterial hypertension, obesity, and fatty liver disease in younger patients. The formation of diverticula seems to be influenced by age and genetic factors. The study suggests a connection with cardiometabolic risk factors. To gain a better understanding of the role of metabolic risk factors in asymptomatic diverticulosis, targeted studies are necessary based on these findings.

The Impact of Educational Status on the Occurrence of Colonic Diverticula: Insights from an Austrian Cohort Study

“…The incidence of diverticulosis has increased to 50% in individuals older than 60 years and a significant rise of incidence has been seen in younger age-groups [ 9 ]. Besides genetic causes and advancing age, there are links between cardiometabolic risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, increased accumulation of abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat, and fatty liver disease [ 10 ]. Dietary habits such as alcohol consumption and high-fat diets have also been associated with the development of diverticula [ 11 ].…”