Association between red cell distribution width and mean platelet volume with appendicitis: a myth or a fact?

The aim of our study was to identify if there was a relation between red cell distribution width, mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width, leukocyte count and thrombocyte count at the time of presentation to hospital and acute appendicitis.

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies. Misinterpretation of symptoms and findings in acute appendicitis may lead to removal of normal appendix and delayed diagnosis can result in perforation and peritonitis. Many studies tried to delineate the relation between acute appendicitis and laboratory findings. Latest studies focused on components of complete blood count such as red cell distribution width and mean platelet volume.

This was a retrospective clinical study that enrolled 638 patients with abdominal pain and open appendectomy for acute appendicitis. Complete blood count results including red cell distribution width were retrieved from medical charts of patients and analyzed.

There was no statistically significant difference between appendicitis, non pathological appendix and perforated appendicitis in terms of red cell distribution width or other blood count components except leukocyte level.

Despite current findings in medical literature indicating predictive value of red cell distribution width in acute appendicitis; its utility for differential diagnosis might be overestimated (Tab. 1, Ref. 22).