Premium
Demographics and trends in the acute presentation of diverticular disease: a national study
Author(s) -
Vather Ryash,
Broad Joanna B.,
Jaung Rebekah,
Robertson Jason,
Bissett Ian P.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
anz journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.426
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 1445-1433
DOI - 10.1111/ans.13147
Subject(s) - medicine , diverticular disease , demographics , cohort , pacific islanders , ethnic group , pediatrics , demography , population , environmental health , sociology , anthropology
Background Diverticular disease ( DD ) is a major health problem in the W estern world. The aim of this study was to describe demographics and trends in acute DD admissions in N ew Z ealand. Methods Information pertaining to acute hospital admissions between J anuary 2000 and J une 2012 for a primary diagnosis of large bowel DD was retrieved from a national database. Results There were 25 167 admissions for acute DD . Mean age of presentation decreased from 65.9 years in 2000 to 64.1 years in 2012 ( P < 0.001). Mean age was lower in men than women (61.4 versus 67.4 years, P < 0.001). Although men comprised 45.2% of the cohort they were over‐represented in the 18–44 years stratum (68.6 versus 31.4%; P < 0.001). E uropeans accounted for 84.8% of admissions and presented at an older age (65.8 years) than Māori (56.2 years), P acific Islanders (58.4 years) or A sians (58.9 years) ( P < 0.001). Acute DD admissions were higher in more deprived populations ( P < 0.001). Mean length of hospital stay ( LOS ) reduced from 5.8 days in 2000 to 4.1 days in 2012 ( P < 0.001). LOS increased with age ( P < 0.001) and deprivation ( P = 0.013), but did not differ between ethnicities ( P = 0.088). Computed tomography scanning of acute admissions doubled from 2000 to 2012 (29.7–59.2%; P < 0.001) with a halving in the use of acute in‐patient colonoscopy (26.1–13.2%; P < 0.001) and emergent surgery (14.8–7.2%; P < 0.001). Percutaneous drain use increased from 0.6% in 2000 to 1.1% in 2012 ( P = 0.003). Conclusion Acute DD is a source of considerable morbidity in N ew Z ealand and there have been significant changes in its admission demographics and trends over the last decade.