To the Editor: The narrative review of diverticular disease by You and colleagues1 is most welcome. While highlighting the ubiquity of the problem and factors that facilitate the development of the disease and outlining an evidence‐based strategy to assess and manage the condition, it is also important to note patient factors, such as comorbidities treated with certain medications, which may facilitate uncomplicated disease becoming complicated. Further, commencing certain medications in patients with diverticular disease may often have unappreciated risks.2,3,4,5
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- 1. You H, Sweeny A, Cooper ML, et al. The management of diverticulitis: a review of the guidelines. Med J Aust 2019; 211: 421–427. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2019/211/9/management-diverticulitis-review-guidelines
- 2. van den Bussche H, Koller D, Kolonko T, et al. Which chronic diseases and disease combinations are specific to multimorbidity in the elderly? Results of a claims data based cross‐sectional study in Germany. BMC Public Health 2011; 11: 101.
- 3. Piekarek K, Israelsson LA. Perforated colonic diverticular disease: the importance of NSAIDs, opioids, corticosteroids, and calcium channel blockers. Int J Colorectal Dis 2008; 23: 1193–1197.
- 4. Hjern F, Mahmood M, Abraham‐Nordling M, et al. Cohort study of corticosteroid use and risk of hospital admission for diverticular disease. Br J Surg 2015; 102: 119–124.
- 5. Mpofu S, Mpofu CMA, Hutchinson D, et al. Steroids, non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, and sigmoid diverticular abscess perforation in rheumatic conditions. Ann Rheum Dis 2004; 63: 588–590.
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