Risk factors for colonic diverticular bleeding: A Westernized community based hospital study

Table 1 Characteristics of patients with and without colonic diverticular hemorrhage n (%)

	Diverticular hemorrhage	Nonbleeding diverticular	P value
No	30	110
Age (yr, mean ± SD, range)	73.4 ± 9.9 (50-90)	67.8 ± 13.0 (40-93)	0.013
Male/Female ratio	9/21	47/63	NS
Diverticular location
Left side	22 (73.3)	84 (77.8)	NS
Bilateral	8 (26.7)	24 (22.2)

Data are mean ± SD; NS: Non significant.

Table 2 Potential risk factors for diverticular bleeding n (%)

	Diverticular hemorrhage	Nonbleeding diverticular	P value
No	30	110
Comorbidities
BMI (kg/m2, mean ± SD, range)	28.2 ± 5.0 (21-43)	26.7 ± 5.0 (13-46)	0.15
Obesity (BMI > 25 kg/m2)	20 (69.0)	61 (59.2)	0.34
Diabetes mellitus	7 (23.3)	15 (13.6)	0.2
Hypertension	20 (66.7)	65 (59)	0.45
Hyperlipoproteinemia	8 (26.7)	25 (22.7)	0.65
Hyperuricemia	6 (20)	8 (7.3)	0.039
Smoking	2 (6.7)	17 (15.5)	0.21
Alcohol	0	5 (4.6)	0.23
Immunodeficiency1	4 (13.3)	9 (8.2)	0.39
Cardiovascular events2	10 (33.3)	28 (25.5)	0.39
Medication
Steroids	4 (13.3)	3 (2.7)	0.018
NSAR	4 (13.3)	4 (3.6)	0.043
Cumarine	2 (6.7)	4 (3.6)	0.47
Aspirin	9 (30.0)	30 (27.3)	0.77
β-blockers	7 (23.3)	33 (30.0)	0.47
ACE-inhibitors	6 (20.0)	25 (22.7)	0.75
AT-II-receptor-antagonists	0	10 (9.1)	0.087
Calcium antagonist	10 (33.3)	23 (20.9)	0.15
Digitalis	5 (16.7)	7 (6.4)	0.074

¹Including malignant disease, chemotherapy, regular intake of methotrexate or steroids, reduced general condition due to old age. ²Including stroke and myocardial infarction.