Key Points
Î Acute diverticulitis is defined as clinically evident macroscopic
inflammation of a diverticulum or diverticula.
Î Acute diverticulitis occurs in <10% of patients with
diverticulosis.
Î 10–20% of those patients will have complicated disease, defined
as an abscess, perforation, fistula, or colonic obstruction.
Î 10–25% of patients who have a first attack of diverticulitis will
have a subsequent recurrence.
Î Antibiotics are often prescribed for acute diverticulitis, but can
often be avoided in mild cases.
Î A colonoscopy should generally be performed after resolution of
acute diverticulitis if not recently done.
Î The AGA suggests a fiber-rich diet and physical activity after
resolution of acute diverticulitis.
GRADE Strength of Recommendations and Implications
Grade
Implications of strong and conditional (weak)
guideline recommendations
Strong • Patients: Most individuals in this situation would want the
recommended course of action and only a small proportion would not.
• Clinicians: Most individuals should receive the recommended course
of action. Formal decision aids are not likely to be needed to help
individuals make decisions consistent with their values and preferences.
Conditional
(weak)
• Patients: The majority of individuals in this situation would want the
suggested course of action, but many would not.
• Clinicians: Different choices will be appropriate for different patients.
Decision aids may well be useful in helping individuals making
decisions consistent with their values and preferences.
Clinicians should expect to spend more time with patients when
working toward a decision.
Reprinted with permission from Sultan et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013;11:329–332.
AGA Institute Guideline on the Management of Acute Diverticulitis
