Antibiotic prescribing remains above 95% for uncomplicated diverticulitis

by Elana Gotkine

edited by Stephanie Baum, reviewed by Andrew Zinin

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Antibiotic prescribing has remained above 95% for uncomplicated diverticulitis at Veterans Affairs facilities, according to a study published online June 23 in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Jesse D. Sutton, Pharm.D., from Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Minnesota, and colleagues described antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated diverticulitis in a retrospective cohort study conducted across U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities from Oct. 1, 2015, to June 1, 2025. A total of 70,391 visits from 50,250 unique patients met the inclusion criteria; 36,757 visits were excluded, resulting in 33,634 visits among 28,474 unique patients.

The researchers found that the annual number of visits was stable during the evaluation period. Antibiotics were prescribed in 96.6% of visits. For all years from 2015 to 2025, the adjusted prevalence of visits with an antibiotic prescription remained between 95.6% and 97.9%. The median unadjusted prevalence of visits with an antibiotic prescribed was 97% for the 116 facilities with 30 or more visits. The most common antibiotics prescribed were a fluoroquinolone-based regimen and amoxicillin-clavulanate (45.6% and 42.7%, respectively). In 2015, the predominant type was fluoroquinolone-based regimens, but it shifted to amoxicillin-clavulanate in 2025.

"Antibiotics were routinely prescribed for uncomplicated diverticulitis without meaningful change in the 10 years after guideline recommendations began calling for selective use," the authors wrote. "Interventions are needed to align antibiotic prescribing with current guidelines to reduce the harms of unnecessary antibiotic exposure."

More information

Jesse D. Sutton et al, Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing for Uncomplicated Diverticulitis in Veterans Affairs Facilities: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Annals of Internal Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.7326/annals-25-05583

Key medical concepts

AntibioticsAmoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination

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GastroenterologyClinical pharmacology Who's behind this story?

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