A cross-sectional study on evaluation of complete blood count-associated parameters for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Acute appendicitis is one of the common causes of abdominal surgeries, however, the rate of negative appendectomy is as high as 20% as the diagnosis of appendicitis is challenging. The study aimed to evaluate complete blood count (CBC)-associated parameters among positive and negative appendectomy patients and determine their diagnostic importance. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, patients who suspected of acute appendicitis were included. Preoperative blood samples taken from these patients for a complete blood count. Following parameters evaluated from their CBC white blood cell (WBC), platelet (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), neutrophils-to-lymphocytes ratio, platelets-to-lymphocytes ratio, red cell distribution width (RDW), and platelet distribution width (PDW). These parameters analyzed for the positive and negative appendectomy patients using statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of 200 patients included in the study, 30 patients (15%) underwent negative appendectomy. The mean neutrophils, WBC, red blood cells, neutrophils-to-lymphocytes, and platelets-to-lymphocytes ratio was significantly high among positive appendectomy patients, (P < .05), whereas MPV to platelet ratio was significantly less in this group. The highest diagnostic power for the diagnosis of appendicitis was of neutrophils-to-lymphocytes ratio with the sensitivity of 83.5% and the specificity of 90%. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study indicate that neutrophils-to-lymphocytes ratio alone is not sufficient for preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis and other CBC-related parameters did not have good sensitivity and specificity. Further studies are therefore required in this area.