Abstract
The role of the microbiome in influencing the development and course of human disease
is increasingly understood and appreciated. In diverticular disease, the microbiome
presents an intriguing potential link between the disease and its long-established
risk factors, dietary fiber and industrialization. However, current data have yet
to demonstrate a clear link between specific alterations in the microbiome and diverticular
disease. The largest study of diverticulosis is negative and studies of diverticulitis
are small and heterogeneous. Although multiple disease-specific hurdles exist, the
early state of the current research and the many un- or underexplored clinical phenotypes
present a significant opportunity for investigators to improve our knowledge of this
common and incompletely understood disease.
Keywords
microbiome - diverticular disease - diverticulitis
