Trends in Hospitalization for Diverticulitis and Diverticular Bleeding in the United States From 2000 to 2010

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Most studies of trends in diverticular disease have focused on diverticulitis or on a composite outcome of diverticulitis and bleeding. We aimed to quantify and compare the prevalence of hospitalization for diverticular bleeding and diverticulitis overall and by sex and race. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2000 through 2010. We identified adult patients with a discharge diagnosis of diverticular bleeding or diverticulitis. By using yearly US intercensal data, we calculated age-, sex-, and race-specific rates, as well as age-adjusted prevalence rates. RESULTS: The prevalence of hospitalizations per 100,000 persons for diverticular bleeding decreased over the 10-year period from 32.5 to 27.1 (-5.4; 95% confidence interval, -5.1 to -5.7). The prevalence of hospitalizations for diverticulitis peaked in 2008 (74.1/100,000 in 2000, 96.0/100,000 in 2008, and 91.9/100,000 in 2010). The prevalence of diverticulitis was higher in women than in men, whereas women and men had similar rates of diverticular bleeding. The prevalence of diverticular bleeding was highest in blacks (34.4/100,000 in 2010); whereas the prevalence of diverticulitis was highest in whites (75.5/100,000 in 2010). CONCLUSIONS: Over the past 10 years, the prevalence of hospitalizations for diverticulitis increased and then plateaued, whereas that of diverticular bleeding decreased. The prevalence according to sex and race differed for diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding. These findings indicate different mechanisms of pathogenesis for these disorders.