憩室病准确的发病率很难计算,因为大多数患者无临床症状且很多研究为回顾性分析。[3]Painter NS, Burkitt DP. Diverticular disease of the colon, a 20th century problem. Clin Gastroenterol. 1975 Jan;4(1):3-21.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1109818?tool=bestpractice.com 然而,已有证据证明随着年龄增长,憩室病的发病率增加。在发达国家,40 岁以下发病率为 10%,50 岁时发病率接近 50%,超过 80 岁后发病率为 50%-66%。素食主义者的憩室病发病率较低。[4]Nair P, Mayberry JF. Vegetarianism, dietary fiber and gastrointestinal disease. Dig Dis. 1994 May-Jun;12(3):177-85.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7988064?tool=bestpractice.com 右半结肠憩室病更常见于亚洲,被证实与亚洲人群的肉类饮食相关。[5]Lin OS, Soon MS, Wu SS, et al. Dietary habits and right-sided colonic diverticulosis. Dis Colon Rectum. 2000 Oct;43(10):1412-8.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11052519?tool=bestpractice.com 一项研究报道憩室病在欧洲的总患病率为 12%-49%。[6]Delvaux M. Diverticular disease of colon in Europe: epidemiology, impact on citizen health and prevention. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2003 Nov;18(suppl 3):71-4.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14531745?tool=bestpractice.com 憩室病的患病率并未有性别差异;但在老年人中,女性更多发。[7]Parks TG. Natural history of diverticular disease of the colon. Clin Gastroentrol. 1975 Jan;4(1):53-69.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1109820?tool=bestpractice.com
在发热及白细胞增多的老年患者中,其中 30%-50% 与急性憩室炎相关。罕见地,一种病情进展更快速的憩室病鉴于更年轻(<40 岁)的肥胖男性中。[8]Konvolinka CW. Acute diverticulitis under the age of forty. Am J Surg. 1994 Jun;167(6):562-5.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8209928?tool=bestpractice.com
尽管早期研究表示憩室病在亚洲及非洲的发病率较低,美国、欧洲、澳大利亚等国家的发病率较高。然而,随着城市化的普及,憩室病的发病率普遍升高,甚至在非洲国家。[9]Painter NS, Burkitt DP. Diverticular disease of the colon: a deficiency disease of Western civilization. Br Med J. 1971 May 22;2(5759):450-4.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4930390?tool=bestpractice.com[10]Painter NS. The cause of diverticular disease of colon, its symptoms and complications, review and hypothesis. J R Col Surg Edinb. 1985 Apr;30(2):118-22.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2991507?tool=bestpractice.com[11]Ogunbiyi OA. Diverticular disease of the colon in Ibadan, Nigeria. Afr J Med Med Sci. 1989 Dec;18(4):241-4.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2558553?tool=bestpractice.com