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. 2025 Apr 22:99:e202504022.

[Do patients with diverticula have a higher risk of developing polyps and colorectal cancer? Study in a spanish population]

[Article in Spanish]
Héctor Real Noval  1 , Jennifer Fernández Fernández  2 , Elsa Castelo Álvarez  1 , José Fernández Mallo  1
Affiliations

[Do patients with diverticula have a higher risk of developing polyps and colorectal cancer? Study in a spanish population]

[Article in Spanish]
Héctor Real Noval et al. Rev Esp Salud Publica. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: Diverticulosis, colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer are frequently encountered in colonoscopies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible relationship between these three conditions.

Methods: A cross-sectional study between January 2019 and December 2023 was done at Jarrio Hospital (Asturias, Spain). We included all patients with a first complete colonoscopy. Exclusion criteria were: previous colonoscopy or colorectal resection; age under sixteen years old; incomplete colonoscopy or insufficient bowel preparation. Information about age, sex, BMI, location and histology of polyps and location of diverticula and cancer was recorded. Logistic regression was carried out to identify the association between diverticulosis with polyps and neoplasms, as well as with other variables.

Results: A total of 2,328 patients were recruited. Prevalence of diverticular disease, polyps and colorectal cancer was 36.5%, 26.7% and 9.4%. Patients with polyps, diverticulosis and cancer were older and had higher BMI. Polyps and cancer were more common in men but no differences in prevalence of diverticular disease were found between men and women. Patients with diverticula had a higher risk of having polyps (Odds Ratio=1.3) but did not have an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Diverticula, polyps and cancer were found more frequently in distal colon.

Conclusions: A positive association between the presence of diverticula and the appearance of polyps in the colon is found in this study. However, no significant statistical association is found between the presence of diverticula and colorectal cancer.

Objective: La diverticulosis, los pólipos y las neoplasias colorrectales son hallazgos frecuentes en las colonoscopias. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la posible relación entre las tres entidades.

Methods: Un estudio transversal se llevó a cabo desde enero de 2019 hasta diciembre de 2023 en el hospital de Jarrio (Asturias). Se incluyeron a todos los pacientes con una primera colonoscopia completa. Los criterios de exclusión fueron: colonoscopia previa o resección de colon; edad inferior a dieciséis años; colonoscopia incompleta y/o deficiente preparación. Se recogió información sobre edad, sexo, índice de masa corporal (IMC), localización e histología de divertículos, pólipos y neoformaciones. Se llevó a cabo una regresión logística para identificar la asociación entre la diverticulosis y los pólipos y neoplasias, así como con el resto de variables.

Results: Un total de 2.328 pacientes fueron incluidos. La prevalencia de los divertículos, pólipos y cáncer fue del 36,5%, 26,7% y 9,4%, respectivamente. La prevalencia de las tres enfermedades aumentó con la edad y el IMC. La prevalencia de neoformaciones y los pólipos fue mayor en hombres pero no hubo diferencia por sexo en la prevalencia de la diverticulosis. Los pacientes con divertículos tuvieron un mayor riesgo de presentar pólipos (Odds Ratio=1,3) pero no tuvieron más riesgo de tener un cáncer colorrectal. Los divertículos, pólipos y neoplasias fueron más frecuentes en el colon distal.

Conclusions: Se encuentra una relación positiva entre la presencia de divertículos y la de pólipos. Sin embargo, no se encuentra asociación estadística significativa entre la presencia de divertículos y la de cáncer.

Keywords: Colorectal adenomas; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal polyps; Diverticular disease; Diverticulosis; Endoscopy; Spain.

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