Diverticular disease increases the risk of acute myocardial infarction

Introduction
Diverticular disease is commonly seen among patients with cardiovascular diseases and is linked to adverse outcomes. However, the association between diverticular disease and the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains conflicting.

Aim
We aim to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarise the available data on this topic.

Methods
We identified potentially eligible studies from the Medline and Embase databases, searching from inception to August 2024, to investigate the association between diverticular disease and the risk of developing AMI. To be included, studies needed to compare incidence of AMI between cohorts with and without diverticular disease. Effect size and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined using the generic inverse variance method. All statistical analyses were performed by Review Manager 5.4.

Results
Our meta-analysis included four studies that met the eligibility criteria. There were 898,397 participants, with a mean age of 57 years, and 43% were males. We found that patients with diverticular disease have a 27% increased risk of AMI with a pooled risk ratio (RR) of 1.27 (95% CI: 1.17, 1.37; I² = 83%; p < 0.001) compared to those without diverticular disease.

Conclusions
Our study revealed that diverticular disease is associated with a higher risk of AMI. Emphasising and addressing gastrointestinal health, including diverticular disease, as an important issue, is essential for comprehensive cardiovascular care.