Appendicitis or non-specific abdominal pain in pre-school children: When to request abdominal ultrasound?

AIM: The aim of this study is to determine the most useful diagnostic tools to differentiate appendicitis from non-specific abdominal pain (NSAP) in pre-school children. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated all children aged 5 years or younger admitted for suspected appendicitis at a paediatric emergency department during 5 years. Cases of NSAP and appendicitis were enrolled according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The different variables collected were assessed by statistic and diagnostic accuracy studies. RESULTS: A total of 82 patients were studied: 27 cases of NSAP and 55 cases of appendicitis. We found no symptoms or signs with a high power of discrimination between both processes. Complicated cases of appendicitis begin to appear when the duration of symptoms exceeds 12 h. Among laboratory tests, C-reactive protein (CRP) value >34 mg/L was the variable with a greater association to appendicitis (odds ratio 9.8). Abdominal ultrasound (US) had high sensitivity and specificity to differentiate appendicitis, significantly improving its diagnostic accuracy when the duration of symptoms exceeds 12 h. CONCLUSIONS: A good history and physical examination are important in the diagnostic process, but reliable physical signs can be difficult to elicit in pre-school children. CRP and abdominal US are useful investigations that can improve diagnostic accuracy. According to our results, abdominal pain duration longer than 12 h or CRP value >34 mg/L should be an indication to perform an abdominal US in pre-school children with right lower quadrant tenderness.

Value of Fibrinogen to Discriminate Appendicitis from Nonspecific Abdominal Pain in Preschool Children.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of the biomarker fibrinogen (FB), along with the markers white blood cell (WBC) count, absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and C-reactive protein (CRP), to discriminate appendicitis from nonspecific abdominal pain (NSAP) in preschool children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated all children aged <5 years admitted for suspected appendicitis at an academic pediatric emergency department during 5 years. Diagnostic accuracy of FB (prothrombin time-derived method), WBC, ANC, and CRP were assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver-operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: A total of 82 patients were enrolled in the study (27 NSAP, 17 uncomplicated, and 38 complicated appendicitides). WBC and ANC had moderate diagnostic accuracy for appendicitis versus NSAP (WBC: AUC 0.66, ANC: AUC 0.67). CRP and FB had good diagnostic accuracy for appendicitis versus NSAP (CRP: AUC 0.78, FB: AUC 0.77). WBC and ANC are not useful to discriminate complicated versus uncomplicated appendicitis (WBC: AUC 0.43, ANC: AUC 0.45). CPR and FB had good diagnostic accuracy for complicated versus uncomplicated appendicitis (CRP: AUC 0.80, FB: AUC 0.73). CONCLUSION: CRP and FB are more useful than WBC and ANC to discriminate appendicitis from NSAP in preschool children. CRP and FB are especially useful to discriminate complicated from uncomplicated appendicitis and NSAP. In a child with suspected appendicitis, a plasma FB level (prothrombin time-derived method) >540 mg/dL is associated with an increased likelihood of complicated appendicitis.

Apendicitis versus dolor abdominal agudo inespecífico: evaluación del Pediatric Appendicitis Score / Appendicitis versus non-specific acute abdominal pain: Paediatric Appendicitis Score evaluation

Introducción: El dolor abdominal agudo inespecífico es el principal proceso que requiere diagnóstico diferencial con la apendicitis en la práctica clínica. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la utilidad del Pediatric Appendicitis Score (Regla de predicción clínica de apendicitis pediátrica) para diferenciar estas 2 entidades. Material y métodos: Se evaluó prospectivamente a los pacientes atendidos por sospecha de apendicitis en nuestro centro durante 2 años, incorporando al estudio casos de dolor abdominal agudo inespecífico y apendicitis. Se recogieron diferentes variables, incluyendo las que conforman el Score y la proteína C reactiva, que se analizaron estadísticamente de manera descriptiva, univariante y multivariante, y mediante pruebas de rendimiento diagnóstico (curvas ROC). Resultados: Se estudiaron 275 casos; 143 casos de dolor abdominal agudo inespecífico y 132 casos de apendicitis. La temperatura y el dolor a palpación en fosa iliaca derecha fueron las únicas variables que no mostraron diferencias significativas entre los grupos, careciendo de poder de discriminación. El dolor con la tos, el salto y/o la percusión fue la variable con mayor asociación a apendicitis. El Score estratificó correctamente a los pacientes en grupos de riesgo. La sustitución de la temperatura por la proteína C reactiva en el Score aumentaba su rendimiento diagnóstico, aunque sin diferencias significativas. Conclusiones: El Pediatric Appendicitis Score ayuda en el diagnóstico diferencial entre apendicitis y dolor abdominal agudo inespecífico. Sería recomendable la sustitución de la temperatura en el Score, pues carece de poder de discriminación entre estos grupos. La proteína C reactiva, categorizada en el valor 25,5 mg/L, podría ser utilizada en su lugar (AU)

Introduction: Non-specific acute abdominal pain is the most common process requiring differential diagnosis with appendicitis in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess the Paediatric Appendicitis Score in differentiating between these two entities. Material and methods: All patients admitted due to suspicion of appendicitis were prospectively evaluated in our hospital over a two-year period. Cases of non-specific acute abdominal pain and appendicitis were enrolled in the study. Several variables were collected, including Score variables and C-reactive protein levels. Descriptive, univariate and multivariate analyses and diagnostic accuracy studies (ROC curves) were performed. Results: A total of 275 patients were studied, in which there were 143 cases of non-specific acute abdominal pain and 132 cases of appendicitis. Temperature and right iliac fossa tenderness on palpation were the variables without statistically significant differences, and with no discrimination power between groups. Pain on coughing, hopping, and/or percussion tenderness in the right lower quadrant was the variable with greater association with appendicitis. The Score correctly stratified the patients into risk groups. Substitution of temperature for C-reactive protein in the Score increased diagnostic accuracy, although with no statistically significant differences. Conclusions: The Paediatric Appendicitis Score helps in differential diagnosis between appendicitis and non-specific acute abdominal pain. It would be advisable to replace the temperature in the Score, since it has no discrimination power between these groups. C-reactive protein at a cut-off value of 25.5 mg/L value could be used instead (AU)

[Appendicitis versus non-specific acute abdominal pain: Paediatric Appendicitis Score evaluation]. / Apendicitis versus dolor abdominal agudo inespecífico: evaluación del Pediatric Appendicitis Score.

INTRODUCTION: Non-specific acute abdominal pain is the most common process requiring differential diagnosis with appendicitis in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess the Paediatric Appendicitis Score in differentiating between these two entities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients admitted due to suspicion of appendicitis were prospectively evaluated in our hospital over a two-year period. Cases of non-specific acute abdominal pain and appendicitis were enrolled in the study. Several variables were collected, including Score variables and C-reactive protein levels. Descriptive, univariate and multivariate analyses and diagnostic accuracy studies (ROC curves) were performed. RESULTS: A total of 275 patients were studied, in which there were 143 cases of non-specific acute abdominal pain and 132 cases of appendicitis. Temperature and right iliac fossa tenderness on palpation were the variables without statistically significant differences, and with no discrimination power between groups. Pain on coughing, hopping, and/or percussion tenderness in the right lower quadrant was the variable with greater association with appendicitis. The Score correctly stratified the patients into risk groups. Substitution of temperature for C-reactive protein in the Score increased diagnostic accuracy, although with no statistically significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: The Paediatric Appendicitis Score helps in differential diagnosis between appendicitis and non-specific acute abdominal pain. It would be advisable to replace the temperature in the Score, since it has no discrimination power between these groups. C-reactive protein at a cut-off value of 25.5mg/L value could be used instead.

Diagnostic accuracy of fibrinogen to differentiate appendicitis from nonspecific abdominal pain in children.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the biomarker fibrinogen (FB), along with the more traditional markers white blood cell count (WBC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and C-reactive protein (CRP), to discriminate appendicitis from nonspecific abdominal pain (NSAP) in children. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated all children aged 5 to 15 years admitted for suspected appendicitis at an academic pediatric emergency department during 2 years. Diagnostic accuracy of FB (prothrombin time-derived method), WBC, ANC, and CRP was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: A total of 275 patients were enrolled in the study (143 NSAP, 100 uncomplicated appendicitis, and 32 complicated appendicitis). WBC and ANC had a moderate diagnostic accuracy for appendicitis vs NSAP (WBC: AUC 0.79, ANC: AUC 0.79). FB and CPR had a poor diagnostic accuracy for appendicitis vs NSAP (FB: AUC 0.63, CRP: AUC 0.64) and a good diagnostic accuracy for complicated vs uncomplicated appendicitis (FB: AUC 0.86, CRP: AUC 0.90). All inflammatory markers had a good diagnostic accuracy for complicated appendicitis vs NSAP. CONCLUSIONS: WBC and ANC are useful inflammatory markers to discriminate appendicitis from NSAP. FB and CRP are not very useful to discriminate appendicitis from NSAP, but they discriminate properly complicated from uncomplicated appendicitis and NSAP, with a similar diagnostic accuracy. In a child with suspected appendicitis, a plasma FB level (prothrombin time-derived method) >520 mg/dL is associated to an increased likelihood of complicated appendicitis.

Dermoid cyst of the spermatic cord in children.

Most of inguinal masses in children correspond to inguinal indirect hernias, but other pathologic entities may be found. Dermoid cysts of the spermatic cord are very rare, with only 9 clear cases reported in the literature to date, all of them in adults. We present a case of dermoid cyst of the spermatic cord in a 2-year-old boy, the youngest patient reported so far. Dermoid cysts of the spermatic cord should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis of inguinal masses in children, especially in cases of long-standing, nontender, and irreducible inguinal mass.