Prognostic value of the Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) classification

Abstract

Abstract Colonic Diverticulosis is one of the most common anatomic alterations found in the clinical practice. This condition has 60% incidence in the population over 60 years old. About 20% of patients with this condition will develop Diverticular Disease, and 5% of them will evolve into Diverticulitis. The aim of the study is to analyse the validation of the classification considering the distribution of the severity DICA score between the patients with diagnosis of colonic Diverticulosis. We analysed and classified with DICA 5635 colonoscopies in the period between January 2012 and April 2018 and we obtained the Hospital Discharge Form from all the patients that had been admitted to the hospital in the same time period. The results showed that 69.9% of the patients were assigned to the score DICA1, 21% to DICA2 and 9.1% to DICA3. Ageing increased both the diagnosis of Diverticular Disease and the severity score. The severity was higher in female patients (DICA1=44.6%,DICA2=50.8%,DICA3=57.8%). The occurrence of complications overall was 5.4% and specifically: not complicated Diverticular Disease (DICA1=1%, DICA2=1.8%, DICA3=3.5%); not complicated Diverticulitis (DICA1=2.1%, DICA2=4.7%, DICA3=6.4%); Bleeding in Diverticulitis (DICA1=0.4%, DICA2=1.2%, DICA3=4.5%); Diverticular Perforation (DICA1=0.0%, DICA2=0.1%, DICA3=0.4%). The complications that needed a surgical procedure were for DICA1 about 0.2%, for DICA2 0.8% and for DICA3 2.5%. As well the average of the occupant days in the hospital and the cost, respectively, was for DICA1:8.5 days and 2300 €; for DICA2:9.5 days and 3080 €; for DICA 3:13 days and 4090 €. The majority of the patients with Diverticular Disease belonged to the severity score DICA1 and the patients classified with DICA3 were mainly female and older than 69 years old. The study confirmed the prognostic value of the endoscopic classification DICA since the occurrence of complication resulted in a statistically significant relation with the score DICA3. Key messages DICA classification was able to discriminate, based on endoscopic records, the patients that could develop complications for Diverticular Disease. DICA classification is a valid parameter to predict the outcome of the disease, with great impact on public health improving the effectiveness of treatment.