Individual research recommendation details

Recommendation ID

NG147/2

Question

What is the most clinically and cost-effective conservative management for preventing diverticular disease in people with diverticulosis?

Any explanatory notes
(if applicable)

Why the committee made the recommendations
Diverticulosis is asymptomatic and there are no specific treatments for it. The committee therefore considered making a recommendation about lifestyle and dietary advice to address the common questions asked by newly diagnosed patients on preventing disease progression. However, although some evidence was found on the management of diverticulosis, it did not meet the criteria for inclusion in the review on what is the most clinically and cost-effective management strategy for preventing diverticular disease in people with diverticulosis.

The committee were aware of evidence (which did not meet the review criteria) that vigorous exercise was associated with a reduction in the risk of developing acute diverticulitis. Increased body mass index was also associated with an increased risk of symptomatic disease. In the absence of evidence that could be used to draft recommendations, formal consensus methods and the knowledge and experience of the committee were used instead. The recommendations should be straightforward to implement and may reduce the possibility of developing diverticular disease.

In light of the lack of evidence on this topic, and the need to know what factors might increase the risk of diverticulosis progressing to diverticular disease, the committee considered this an important area for research. They made research recommendations on risk factors for diverticular disease and on conservative management for preventing diverticular disease.

How the recommendations might affect practice
The recommendations reflect current practice.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review A: prevention of diverticular disease in patients with diverticulosis.

Source guidance details

Comes from guidance

Diverticular disease: diagnosis and management

Number

NG147

Date issued

November 2019

Other details