title: Colonic diverticulitis: does age predict severity of disease on CT imaging?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to determine whether young patients with diverticulitis were more likely to present with abdominal CT evidence of severe disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the abdominal CT scans of 932 patients who presented to our institution with CT scan findings consistent with diverticulitis from January 2002 through June 2007. Radiologists retrospectively reviewed all abdominal scans for the presence of imaging findings consistent with diverticulitis (bowel wall thickness, extraluminal air, free perforation, abscess, or fistula). The cohort was divided into 2 groups; patients <or=50 years of age and patients >51 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred forty-three patients were <or=50 years and 689 patients were >51 years. Young patients were more likely to be male (63% vs 42%, P < .0001). Young patients had a higher proportion of scans with extraluminal air than older patients (19.7% vs 12.6%, P < .008). Young patients were more likely to present with severe disease found by CT than older patients (19.3% vs 11.5%). When we adjusted for gender, young males had a higher proportion of scans with extraluminal air than older males (22.4% vs 13.1%, P = .014). Young males were also more likely to present with severe disease (22% vs 12%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young patients were more likely to have extraluminal air and severe disease found by CT. Young male patients presented more commonly with evidence of severe disease. They did not differ from older patients in rates of free perforation, abscess, or fistula formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Lahey Clinic, Burlington, Massachusetts 01805, USA.
authors.forename: Jason F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Marcello
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scheirey
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wald
authors.forename: Francis J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schoetz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004239:Diverticulitis, Colonic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult