Inflammatory manifestations at colonoscopy in patients with colonic diverticular disease

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2011; 33: 358–365 Summary Background  Ulcerative colitis with diverticulosis (UCD), segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis (SCAD) and acute uncomplicated diverticulitis (AUD) may affect the same colonic regions, but the real incidence of these entities in clinical practice is unknown. Aim  To assess the incidence and the endoscopic findings of UCD, SCAD and AUD. Methods  From January 2004 to June 2009, 8525 consecutive colonoscopies were performed. Diagnosis of the diseases was based on specific endoscopic and histological (UCD and SCAD), and on endoscopic and radiological (AUD) patterns. Results  Ulcerative colitis with diverticulosis was diagnosed in 25 pa…

Epithelial cell proliferation index of the colonic mucosa in colonic diverticular disease

The Clinical Picture of Uncomplicated Versus Complicated Diverticulitis of the Colon

Purpose There is no consensus about the correct definition of uncomplicated diverticulitis (UD) in clinical practice. We evaluated therefore whether clinical picture of UD differs from complicated diverticulitis (CD). Fifty consecutive eligible patients (21 males, 29 females, mean age 63.6 years, range 47–75 years) were studied. Symptoms, the inflammatory indices, and Computerized Tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen were assessed at the time of admission. Results Thirty-nine patients classified were affected by UD and 11 patients by CD. CD patients showed more severe clinical picture than UD and required urgent Hospital admission. Conversely, most of the patients affected by UD were treated…

Assessment and grading of mucosal inflammation in colonic diverticular disease.

Goal: The aim of this study was to assess and grade the mucosal inflammatory infiltrate in different degrees of diverticular disease (DID) and to compare them with healthy matched controls. Background: Mucosal inflammation in colonic DD has never been investigated. In particular, it is unknown whether inflammation may be found in every degree of DD. Materials and Methods: Thirty consecutive patients with a new endoscopic diagnosis of D-D (10 with asymptomatic diverticulosis, 10 with symptomatic uncomplicated DD, and 10 with acute uncomplicated diverticulitis) and 10 healthy controls were studied. Results: A neutrophilic inflammatory infiltrate was found only in acute uncomplicated diverticu…

Endoscopic and histological findings in the duodenum of adults with celiac disease before and after changing to a gluten-free diet: a 2-year prospective study.

Published follow-up data on small-intestinal recovery in patients with celiac disease are scarce and contradictory. This is especially the case for adult patients, who often show incomplete histological recovery after starting a gluten-free diet (GFD). We conducted a 2-year prospective study to evaluate the effectiveness of a GFD in improving the endoscopic and histological duodenal findings in adults with celiac disease.We studied 42 consecutive adults with newly diagnosed celiac disease (13 men, 29 women; mean age 32.7 years, range 15 - 72 years). All the patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and small-bowel biopsy. We devised our own grading system for the endoscopic appearance o…

The endoscopic spectrum of segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis.

Objective  An endoscopic classification of ‘Segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis’ (SCAD) is lacking. Our aim was therefore to assess the endoscopic spectrum of SCAD, comparing it with the histological and clinical features. Method  A prospective study was performed from January 2004 to October 2007. Diagnosis of SCAD was made on the basis of specific endoscopic and histological patterns. Results  A total of 6230 consecutive colonoscopies were performed during the study period. SCAD was diagnosed in 92 (1.48%) patients, with four endoscopic patterns: pattern A, ‘crescentic fold disease’ (52.20%); pattern B, ‘Mild-to moderate ulcerative colitis-like’ pattern (30.40%); pattern C, ‘…

Effect of mesalazine on epithelial cell proliferation in colonic diverticular disease

Background and aims: increased epithelial cell proliferation may be detected in diverticular disease, but antibiotics have failed in reducing it. We assess therefore the effect of mesalazine on epithelial cell proliferation in diverticular disease. Methods: a prospective study was conducted on 20 consecutive patients with a new endoscopic diagnosis of symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease. The patients were treated with mesalazine 1.6 mg/day for 1 year. The Ki-67 antigen index of the whole crypt and in the upper third was separately evaluated before and after starting the treatment. Results: cell proliferation index was higher in diverticular disease patients than healthy controls …