Colon diverticula: origin, prevalence, clinical manifestations

AIM: To study prevalence of colon diverticula (CD) and phenotypical features of patients with this anomaly. MATERIAL AND METHODS: At the first stage of the study we analysed colon x-ray evidence for 3 years to assess prevalence of CD. At the second stage we examined 59 patients with CD. Sixty patients with idiopathic constipation and 48 patients with irritable colon syndrome served control. RESULTS: We discovered the following independent factors associated with a high CD risk: history of CD in the relatives of the patients (OR 24.6; 95% CI 5.23-116.23; p = 0.0001) and age of the patient (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.03-1.13; p = 0.0010). Age-dependent CD occurrence, similar anomalies in the relatives, other structural gastrointestinal anomalies in them, hyperaminociduria suggest that CD represent a metabolic involutionary process with hereditary predisposition. CD manifested clinically with abdominal pain and problems with colon passage. Abdominal pain related to defecation occurred with low pain threshold to extension. Abdominal pain risk in CD patients is significantly associated with intestinal infections (OR 4.56; 95% CI 1.09-18.97; chi-square = 4.34; p = 0.0372) and connective tissue dysplasia syndrome (OR 2.21; 95% CI 1.23-3.95; chi-square = 7.08; p = 0.0078). Independent risk factors of constipation in CD are non-morning defecation (OR 8.68; 95% CI 1.55-48.51; chi-square = 6.06; p = 0.0138), connective tissue dysplasia syndrome (OR 1.77; 95% CI 1.0-3.20; chisquare = 3.65; p = 0.0501), sedentary life style (OR 7.42; 94% CI 1.24 - 44.57; chi-square = 4.81; p = 0.0284). CONCLUSION: Incomplete CD reflect colon involution. Abdominal pain associated with defecation has much in common with irritable colon syndrome.