Original Article

Smoking and the risk of diverticular disease in women†

  1. F. Hjern1,*,
  2. A. Wolk2,
  3. N. Håkansson2

Article first published online: 4 APR 2011

DOI: 10.1002/bjs.7477

Issue

British Journal of Surgery

British Journal of Surgery

Volume 98, Issue 7, pages 997–1002, July 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Hjern, F., Wolk, A. and Håkansson, N. (2011), Smoking and the risk of diverticular disease in women. Br J Surg, 98: 997–1002. doi: 10.1002/bjs.7477

Author Information

  1. 1

    Division of Surgery, Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

  2. 2

    Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

*Department of Surgery, Danderyd University Hospital, 182 88 Stockholm, Sweden

  1. †

    Presented to the Annual Meeting of the European Society of Coloproctology, Sorrento, Italy, September 2010; and published in abstract form as Colorectal Dis 2010; 12(Suppl 3): 22

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 27 MAY 2011
  2. Article first published online: 4 APR 2011
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 18 JAN 2011

Funded by

  • Karolinska Institute

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Abstract

Background:

The relationship between smoking and the risk of diverticular disease is unclear. An observational cohort study was undertaken to investigate the association between smoking and diverticular disease.

Methods:

Women in the Swedish Mammography Cohort born between 1914 and 1948 were followed from 1997 to 2008. Information on smoking and other lifestyle factors was collected through questionnaires. Patients with symptomatic diverticular disease were identified from Swedish national registers. Relative risks (RRs) of symptomatic diverticular disease (resulting in hospital admission or death) according to smoking status were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models.

Results:

Of 35 809 women included in the study, 561 (1·6 per cent) had symptomatic diverticular disease. In multivariable analysis, current smokers had an increased risk of symptomatic diverticular disease compared with non-smokers after adjustment for age, intake of dietary fibre, diabetes, hypertension, use of acetylsalicylic acid, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or steroid medication, alcohol consumption, body mass index, physical activity and level of education (RR 1·23, 95 per cent confidence interval 0·99 to 1·52). Past smokers also had an increased risk (RR 1·26, 1·02 to 1·56). Smokers had a higher risk of developing a diverticular perforation/abscess than non-smokers (RR 1·89, 1·15 to 3·10).

Conclusion:

Smoking is associated with symptomatic diverticular disease. Copyright © 2011 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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