EP2020 - Age-Related Differences in Treatment Trends and Healthcare Utilization Among Patients with Diverticulitis: A Two-Year Retrospective Cohort Study

ePoster Presenter(s)

• AF

  Andrea Fa, MD

  Fellow
  LSU Shreveport
  LSU Shreveport
  Shreveport, LA, United States

  All disclosed relationships have been reviewed and managed prior to the start of this activity. Any relevant relationships will be listed below. This individual has no financial relationships to disclose

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Author(s)

• KW

  Kathryn Williams, MD

  General Surgery Resident
  LSU Health - Shreveport
  Shreveport, Louisiana, United States

  Disclosure information not submitted.
• DT

  Devin R. Touchet, n/a

  Medical Student
  LSU Health Shreveport Medical School
  Shreveport, Louisiana, United States

  Disclosure information not submitted.
• PH

  Payton P. Hollenshead, MD

  General Surgery Resident
  Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport
  Bossier City, Louisiana, United States

  Disclosure information not submitted.
• AP

  Anna Peever, BS

  Medical Student
  LSU Health Shreveport
  Shreveport, Louisiana, United States

  Disclosure information not submitted.
• RM

  Robert Miketinas, n/a

  Second year general surgery resident
  LSU
  Shrevport, Louisiana, United States

  Disclosure information not submitted.

Senior Author(s)

• BH

  Brielle Hebert, MD

  Surgeon
  Associate Professor
  Shreveport, Louisiana, United States

  Disclosure information not submitted.

Purpose/Background: Diverticulitis is increasingly diagnosed in younger adults. Current guidelines for treatment of diverticulitis are based on studies performed in patients over 50 years old. Thus, the management of diverticulitis in the younger population is less well-defined, with some newer data suggesting that younger patients may not need surgical intervention. This study aimed to evaluate treatment patterns and healthcare utilization among patients with diverticulitis to help compare outcomes between those aged ≤50 and >50 years.

Methods/Interventions: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single institution from 2023 to 2025. Adult patients presenting with acute diverticulitis were stratified into two groups: ≤50 years (n = 72) and >50 years (n = 208). Demographic characteristics and treatment outcomes were analyzed. Healthcare utilization measures included number of clinic visits, hospitalizations, and length of stay (LOS). Group comparisons were performed using t-tests for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Results/Outcomes: Younger patients were more likely to use tobacco (31.9% vs. 14.9%, p = 0.003), whereas diabetes was more common among older patients (5.6% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.123). The proportion of patients undergoing surgery did not differ significantly between groups (38.9% vs. 48.6%, p = 0.172). Older patients had a greater mean number of clinic visits (3.44 vs. 2.63, p = 0.037), but similar hospitalization rates (1.22 vs. 1.43, p = 0.241) and LOS (7.88 vs. 8.77 days, p = 0.763). Gender distribution differed significantly, with younger patients more often male (56.9% vs. 38.5%, p = 0.020).

Conclusion/Discussion: In this two-year single-center study, surgical intervention rates and hospital outcomes were similar across age groups, despite differences in comorbidities and lifestyle factors. However, it was significant that older patients had greater healthcare utilization in terms of outpatient visits. These findings suggest that younger patients may tolerate surgical management of diverticulitis as well as older populations, which have been studied much more extensively. Continued investigation into age-related differences in disease severity, recurrence, and long-term outcomes may help refine management strategies and optimize patient care across age groups.

Heathcare Utilization by Age Group
Baseline Characteristics and Healthcare Utilization by Age Group