***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: Background / Aims : We evaluated the efficacy of mesalamine ( Asacol ) in reducing gastrointestinal symptoms after an acute attack of diverticulitis . Methods : This was a 1-year double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled study in which patients with computed tomography scan confirmed acute diverticulitis received placebo , mesalamine , or mesalamine+Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 ( Align ) for 12 weeks and followed for 9 additional months . Efficacy was assessed using a global symptom score ( GSS ) of 10 symptoms ( abdominal pain , abdominal tenderness , nausea/vomiting , bloating , constipation , diarrhea , mucus , urgency , painful straining , and dysuria ) . Patients were required to have a GSS≥12 at baseline , including an abdominal pain score > 2 . Results : One hundred seventeen patients ( placebo , 41 ; mesalamine , 40 ; mesalamine+probiotic , 36 ) were r and omized and treated . GSS decreased in all groups during treatment without a statistically significant difference between mesalamine and placebo , however ; scores were consistently lower for mesalamine at all time points . The rate of complete response ( GSS=0 ) was significantly higher with mesalamine than placebo at weeks 6 and 52 ( P<0.05 ) , and was particularly high for rectosigmoid symptoms at weeks 6 , 12 , 26 , and 52 . Recurrence of diverticulitis was low and comparable across groups . Probiotic in combination with mesalamine did not provide additional efficacy . Conclusions : In the first US r and omized placebo-controlled trial of anti-inflammatory treatment after a documented case of diverticulitis , mesalamine demonstrated a consistent trend in reducing symptoms . Addition of probiotic did not increase mesalamine efficacy . This study supports further investigation into the use of anti-inflammatory agents , such as mesalamine , in the long-term management of diverticulitis . Clinical Trials.gov NCT00554099 Previous studies have reached conflicting conclusions regarding the efficacy of mesalazine in the prevention of recurrent diverticulitis BACKGROUND & AIMS No therapy has been proven to prevent the recurrence of diverticulitis . Mesalamine has shown efficacy in preventing relapse in inflammatory bowel disease , and there is preliminary evidence that it might be effective for diverticular disease . We investigated the efficacy of mesalamine in preventing recurrence of diverticulitis in 2 identical but separate phase 3 , r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled , multicenter trials ( identical confirmatory trials were conducted for regulatory reasons ) . METHODS We evaluated the efficacy and safety of multimatrix mesalamine vs placebo in the prevention of recurrent diverticulitis in 590 ( PREVENT1 ) and 592 ( PREVENT2 ) adult patients with ≥1 episodes of acute diverticulitis in the previous 24 months that resolved without surgery . Patients received mesalamine ( 1.2 g , 2.4 g , or 4.8 g ) or placebo once daily for 104 weeks . The primary end point was the proportion of recurrence-free patients at week 104 . Diverticulitis recurrence was defined as surgical intervention at any time for diverticular disease or presence of computed tomography scan results demonstrating bowel wall thickening ( > 5 mm ) and /or fat str and ing consistent with diverticulitis . For a portion of the study , recurrence also required the presence of abdominal pain and an increase in white blood cells . RESULTS Mesalamine did not reduce the rate of diverticulitis recurrence at week 104 . Among patients in PREVENT1 , 53%-63 % did not have disease recurrence , compared with 65 % of those given placebo . Among patients in PREVENT2 , 59%-69 % of patients did not have disease recurrence , compared with 68 % of those given placebo . Mesalamine did not reduce time to recurrence , and the proportions of patients requiring surgery were comparable among treatment groups . No new adverse events were identified with mesalamine administration . CONCLUSIONS Mesalamine was not superior to placebo in preventing recurrent diverticulitis . Mesalamine is not recommended for this indication . Clinical Trials.gov ID : NCT00545740 and NCT00545103 Background and aim Recurrence of diverticulitis is frequent within 5 years from the uncomplicated first attack , and its prophylaxis is still unclear . We have undertaken a multicentre , r and omised , double-blind , placebo-controlled pilot study in order to evaluate the role of mesalazine in preventing diverticulitis recurrence as well as its effects on symptoms associated to diverticular disease . Methods Ninety-six patients with the recent first episode of uncomplicated diverticulitis were r and omised to receive mesalazine 800 mg twice daily for 10 days every month or placebo for 24 months . The primary efficacy end point was the diverticulitis recurrence at intention to treat analysis . Clinical evaluations were performed using the Therapy Impact Question naire ( TIQ ) for physical condition and quality of life at admission and at 3-month intervals . Treatment tolerability and routine biochemistry parameters as well as the use of additional drugs were also evaluated . Results Ninety-two patients ( mean age , 61.5 ) completed the study , 45 of whom received mesalazine , and 47 , placebo .  Diverticulitis relapse incidence in mesalazine-treated group was 5/45 ( 11 % ) at the 12th month and 6/45 ( 13 % ) at the 24th month ; in the placebo-treated group , the correspondent rates were 13 % ( 6/47 ) and 28 % ( 13/47 ) , respectively . Mean values of TIQ at 24 months were significantly better in mesalazine-treated group than in placebo-treated group ( p = 0.02 ) ; in addition , average additional drug consumption was significantly lower ( −20.4 % , p < 0.03 ) in mesalazine than in placebo . Conclusions Diverticulitis recurrence occurred in as many as 28 % of patients under placebo within 24 months from the initial episode . Intermittent prophylaxis with mesalazine did not significantly reduce the risk of relapse but induced a significant improvement of patients ' physical conditions and significantly lowered the additional consumption of other gastrointestinal drugs Background and aims The role of probiotics in the treatment of diverticulitis is still not known . The aim of our study was to investigate whether balsalazide and /or VSL#3 is effective in preventing diverticulitis recurrence . Material s and methods In this pilot study , 30 consecutive patients ( 19 males , 11 females , mean age 60.1 years , range 47–75 years ) affected by uncomplicated diverticulitis of the colon were monitored . After obtaining remission , the patients were r and omly assigned to one of the following groups as follows : group A , balsalazide 2.25 g daily for 10 days every month plus VSL#3 450 billions/day for 15 days every month and group B , VSL#3 alone 450 billions/day for 15 days every month . Primary end-point was considered the maintaining of remission throughout a 12-month follow-up . Secondary end-points considered were ( 1 ) the assessment of the overall scores at the end of the follow-up and ( 2 ) the effects of the two different treatments with regards to every symptom assessed . Results / findings One group A patient was withdrawn from the study at the 6th month and one group B patient was lost at the 6th month of follow-up . One group A patient ( 6.66 % ) showed relapse of symptoms at the 10th month of follow-up . At the end of follow-up , 11 patients were completely symptom-free ( 73.33 % ) , whilst 2 patients complained of only mild , recurrent symptoms ( 13 % ) . Two group B patients ( 13.33 % ) showed relapse of the disease at the 5th and 8th month of follow-up , respectively . At the end of follow-up , 8 patients were completely symptom-free ( 60 % ) , 2 patients complained of mild , recurrent symptoms ( 13.33 % ) , 1 patient ( 6.66 % ) complained of mild but continuous symptoms . No side effects were recorded throughout the follow-up in both groups . Interpretation/ conclusions Combination probiotic/anti-inflammatory drug was found better than probiotic treatment in preventing relapse of uncomplicated diverticulitis of the colon , even if without statistical significance 
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CONCLUSIONS Mesalazine does not prevent the recurrence of diverticulitis in patients with SUDD .