Table 1

Baseline characteristics of corticosteroid users and non-users among patients with perforated diverticular disease

	Non-use		Systemic use regardless of other uses		Systemic use only		Inhaled use only
	N	Per cent	N	Per cent	N	Per cent	N	Per cent
Total	3743	100.0	725	100.0	656	100.0	145	100.0
Current use	−	−	494	68.1	446	68.0	81	55.9
New use	−	−	121	16.7	109	16.6	7	4.8
Chronic use	−	−	373	51.4	337	51.4	74	51.1
Recent use	−	−	231	31.9	210	32.0	64	44.1
Age, years
18–59	1431	38.2	119	16.4	113	17.2	42	29.0
60–69	860	23.0	146	20.1	133	20.3	37	25.5
70–79	777	20.8	239	33.0	213	32.5	41	28.3
80+	675	18.0	221	30.5	197	30.0	25	17.2
Gender (male)	1713	45.8	256	35.3	232	35.4	56	38.6
Calendar year of perforated diverticular disease diagnosis
2005–2008	1556	41.6	328	45.2	294	44.8	60	41.4
2009–2013	2187	58.4	397	54.8	362	55.2	85	58.6
Comorbidities
Diverticular disease of the colon without perforation	897	24.0	173	23.9	151	23.0	36	24.8
Hypertension	844	22.5	263	36.3	247	37.7	39	26.9
COPD, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma	682	18.2	334	46.1	278	42.4	137	94.5
Liver disease and/or chronic pancreatitis	111	3.0	25	3.4	24	3.7	5	3.4
Alcoholism-related diseases other than those affecting the liver or pancreas	310	8.3	42	5.8	38	5.8	13	9.0
Cancer	503	13.4	201	27.7	189	28.8	19	13.1
Rheumatoid arthritis/connective tissue disease	138	3.7	200	27.6	186	28.4	4	2.8
Inflammatory bowel disease	71	1.9	40	5.5	32	4.9	4	2.8
Charlson Comorbidity Index score
0	2659	71.0	371	51.2	334	50.9	99	68.3
1–2	888	23.7	261	36.0	241	36.7	36	24.8
≥3	196	5.2	93	12.8	81	12.3	10	6.9
Surgery within 30 days before or after diagnosis of diverticulitis (total)	1949	52.1	456	62.9	425	64.8	82	56.6
Explorative surgery including lavage	616	16.5	115	15.9	108	16.5	24	16.6
Stoma	845	22.6	245	33.8	228	34.8	38	26.2
Resection with primary anastomosis	488	13.0	96	13.2	89	13.6	20	13.8

COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.