Diagnostic pathways in acute appendicitis: Clinical score plus ultrasound outperform CT scan or upfront surgery, especially in doubtful cases.

CT‐scan age appendicitis complication conservative diagnosis female histopathological mortality outcomes treatment ultrasound

Journal

World journal of surgery
ISSN: 1432-2323
Titre abrégé: World J Surg
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 7704052

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
28 Mar 2024
Historique:
received: 27 12 2023
accepted: 10 03 2024
medline: 29 3 2024
pubmed: 29 3 2024
entrez: 29 3 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Controversies remain on the diagnostic strategy in suspected AA, considering the different settings worldwide. A prospective observational international multicentric study including patients operated for suspected AA with a definitive histopathological analysis was conducted. Three groups were analyzed: (1) No radiology; (2) Ultrasound, and (3) Computed tomography. The aim was to analyze the performance of three diagnostic schemes. Three thousand and one hundred twenty three patients were enrolled; 899 in the no radiology group, 1490 in the US group, and 734 in the CT group. The sex ratio was in favor of males (p < 0.001). The mean age was lower in the no radiology group (24 years) compared to 28 and 38 years in US and CT-scan groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Overall, the negative appendectomy rate 3.8%: no radiology group (5.1%) versus US (2.9%) and CT-scan (4.1%) (p < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity analysis showed the best balance in clinical evaluation + score + US. These data reach the best results in those patients with an equivocal Alvarado score (4-6). Inverse probability weighting (IPW), showed as the use of ultrasound, is significantly associated with an increased probability of formulating the correct diagnosis (p 0.004). In the case of a CT scan, this association appears weaker (p 0.08). The association of clinical scores and ultrasound seems the best strategy to reach a correct preoperative diagnosis in patients with clinical suspicion of AA, even in those population subgroups where the clinical score may have an equivocal result. This strategy can be especially useful in low-resource settings worldwide. CT-scan association may improve the detection of patients who may potentially be submitted to conservative treatment.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Controversies remain on the diagnostic strategy in suspected AA, considering the different settings worldwide.
MATERIAL AND METHODS METHODS
A prospective observational international multicentric study including patients operated for suspected AA with a definitive histopathological analysis was conducted. Three groups were analyzed: (1) No radiology; (2) Ultrasound, and (3) Computed tomography. The aim was to analyze the performance of three diagnostic schemes.
RESULTS RESULTS
Three thousand and one hundred twenty three patients were enrolled; 899 in the no radiology group, 1490 in the US group, and 734 in the CT group. The sex ratio was in favor of males (p < 0.001). The mean age was lower in the no radiology group (24 years) compared to 28 and 38 years in US and CT-scan groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Overall, the negative appendectomy rate 3.8%: no radiology group (5.1%) versus US (2.9%) and CT-scan (4.1%) (p < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity analysis showed the best balance in clinical evaluation + score + US. These data reach the best results in those patients with an equivocal Alvarado score (4-6). Inverse probability weighting (IPW), showed as the use of ultrasound, is significantly associated with an increased probability of formulating the correct diagnosis (p 0.004). In the case of a CT scan, this association appears weaker (p 0.08).
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
The association of clinical scores and ultrasound seems the best strategy to reach a correct preoperative diagnosis in patients with clinical suspicion of AA, even in those population subgroups where the clinical score may have an equivocal result. This strategy can be especially useful in low-resource settings worldwide. CT-scan association may improve the detection of patients who may potentially be submitted to conservative treatment.

Identifiants

pubmed: 38549035
doi: 10.1002/wjs.12160
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Informations de copyright

© 2024 International Society of Surgery/Société Internationale de Chirurgie (ISS/SIC).

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Auteurs

Federico Coccolini (F)

General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery Department, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.

Aleix Martinez-Perez (A)

Faculty of Health Sciences, Valencian International University (VIU), Valencia, Spain.
Department of General and Digestive Surgery, Hospital Universitario Doctor Peset, Valencia, Spain.

Gabriella Licitra (G)

ICU Department, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.

Nicola De Angelis (N)

General Surgery Department, Henry Mondor University Hospital, Paris, France.

Camilla Cremonini (C)

General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery Department, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.

Silvia Strambi (S)

General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery Department, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.

Giuseppe Zocco (G)

General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery Department, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.

Adolfo Puglisi (A)

General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery Department, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.

Dario Tartaglia (D)

General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery Department, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.

Massimo Chiarugi (M)

General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery Department, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.

Classifications MeSH