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Clinical profile and risk factors for perforation of acute appendicitis in children

A Bekele1, A Mekasha

  • 1Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Addis Ababa University, Faculty of Medicine, P.O. Box 1768, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

East African Medical Journal
|December 13, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Delayed intervention for appendicitis in children increases perforation risk. While many factors are associated with perforation, no single predictor was identified, highlighting the importance of timely medical attention for pediatric appendicitis.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Gastrointestinal Health
  • Clinical Research

Background:

  • Appendicitis is a common surgical emergency in children.
  • Appendix perforation is a significant complication associated with increased morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the clinical presentation of appendicitis in children under 13.
  • To identify risk factors associated with appendix perforation in this age group.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of 147 children admitted for acute appendicitis between 1999 and 2000.
  • Analysis included univariate and multiple logistic regression to determine predictors of perforation.

Main Results:

  • Appendicitis was more common in males, with a mean age of 9.3 years.
  • Univariate analysis suggested several risk factors for perforation (e.g., age <10, delayed presentation >24 hours, specific clinical signs, leukocytosis).
  • Multiple logistic regression did not identify any single independent predictor of perforation.

Conclusions:

  • No single factor independently predicted appendix perforation in children.
  • Delayed presentation and intervention is a critical, preventable factor contributing to perforation.
Abstract

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