P4560 - National Trends of Diverticular Disease Associated Age-Adjusted Mortality Rates (AAMRs) from 1999-2020: A CDC WONDER Database Analysis

Aanusha Ghouri, MD¹, Saim Amir, MBBS², Zain Tariq, MBBS³, Affan Faisal, MBBS², Gul Sher Ghouri, MBBS², Salal Sharjeel, MBBS⁴
1Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, Upper Marlboro, MD; 2King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan; 3King Edward Medical University, Imperial, CA; 4Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

Introduction: Diverticular disease is a prevalent colonic disorder, especially in older adults, and may progress to complications such as diverticulitis, perforation, and hemorrhage. Its increasing incidence has been linked to aging demographics and Western dietary patterns. Clarifying long-term mortality patterns is critical for optimizing risk stratification, management guidelines, and resource allocation in clinical practice. The mortality due to diverticular disease is on the rise in the United States. In this study we explored these trends from 1999-2020, using age adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) to pinpoint incongruities between epidemiological groups.

Methods: Our study conducted an in-depth search of the CDC Wonder database, based on the incidence of diverticular disease related Age-Adjusted Mortality Rate (AAMR) per 100,000 individuals. Employing Join point Regression Analysis, we assessed Parallelism and computed Annual Percent Changes (APC) with a 95% Confidence Interval. For a p< 0.05, the test of parallelism was considered significant for unparalell.

Results: From 1999-2020, a total of 115045 deaths were reported due to diverticular disease. The overall AAMR showed a slight decline from 1999-2003, with an APC of -2.61. Later, the AAMR declined greatly from 2003-2012, with an APC of -5.20. This was followed by yet another decline from 2012-2018, with an APC of -1.91. The AAMR then began to incline from 2018-2020, with an APC of 3.77. The highest mortality populations were Females and Whites. The geographical hotspots for mortality were Micropolitan (Non-Metro) and Midwest. Tests for parallelism revealed non-disparate trends across gender (p=0.15), and Black and White races (p=0.06). However, the parallelism test in Midwest versus West (p=0.001), and Micropolitan (Non-Metro) versus Noncore (Non-Metro) was significant (p=0.02).There is a recent rise in diverticular disease associated mortality. Further, the disparity among the demographic variables warrants more investigation, and the planning of targeted interventions.
 

Discussion: Our study shows that after years of decline, deaths from diverticular disease have started to rise again since 2018. While trends were similar across gender and race, there were clear regional differences—especially between the Midwest and West, and between smaller rural areas. These gaps suggest that local healthcare access or other regional factors may be playing a role, pointing to the need for more focused public health efforts.

Disclosures:
Aanusha Ghouri indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Saim Amir indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Zain Tariq indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Affan Faisal indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Gul Sher Ghouri indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Salal Sharjeel indicated no relevant financial relationships.

Aanusha Ghouri, MD¹, Saim Amir, MBBS², Zain Tariq, MBBS³, Affan Faisal, MBBS², Gul Sher Ghouri, MBBS², Salal Sharjeel, MBBS⁴. P4560 - National Trends of Diverticular Disease Associated Age-Adjusted Mortality Rates (AAMRs) from 1999-2020: A CDC WONDER Database Analysis, ACG 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Phoenix, AZ: American College of Gastroenterology.