Table 3.
Areas of Unmet Need in Diverticular Disease
| Epidemiology |
| Delineate factors associated with the rapid rise in diverticulitis incidence among young patients |
| Understand the long-term, global impact of acute diverticulitis on patients |
| Identify markers (clinical and biomarkers) of risk of disease progression/recurrence |
| Examine sex and racial differences in the incidence of diverticulitis |
| Define the natural history of diverticulitis in immunocompromised patients |
| Pathogenesis |
| Determine the role of systemic and mucosal inflammation in the development diverticulitis |
| Examine prospectively the gut microbiota and related metabolites in diverticulitis |
| Clarify risk genes within genetic risk loci associated with diverticulitis and determine mechanisms |
| Delineate the role of connective tissue and enteric nerve abnormalities in diverticulitis |
| Medical Treatment |
| Develop accurate clinical prediction tools to aide in the diagnosis and triage of acute diverticulitis |
| Examine the role of ultrasound in the diagnosis of diverticulitis (in the U.S.) |
| Define the long-term consequences of withholding antibiotics in uncomplicated diverticulitis |
| Compare dietary strategies in the treatment of uncomplicated diverticulitis |
| Study pain control strategies for complicated and uncomplicated diverticulitis |
| Surgical Treatment |
| Compare outcomes in patients undergoing surgery vs no surgery for recurrent diverticulitis |
| Understand long-term outcomes of medical vs surgical treatment of complicated diverticulitis |
| Identify predictors of postoperative complications |
| Identify predictors of resolution of symptoms following surgical resection |
| Determine the optimal timing of surgery among patient with persistent inflammatory symptoms |
| Evaluate the modern prognostic value of the Hinchey classification system |
| Prevention |
| Define the role of diet and lifestyle modification in the prevention of recurrent diverticulitis |
| Develop and test new pharmaceutical agents in the prevention of recurrent diverticulitis |
| Compare medical vs surgical approach to prevention of recurrent diverticulitis |