The relationship between abnormal urinalysis findings and appendicitis location

Area of Science:

• General Surgery
• Urology
• Diagnostic Medicine

Background:

• Acute appendicitis is a frequent surgical emergency requiring prompt diagnosis.
• Urinalysis abnormalities, including hematuria and pyuria, have been anecdotally linked to appendicitis.
• The diagnostic utility of urinalysis in relation to appendicitis location remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between urinalysis findings (hematuria, pyuria) and the anatomical location of acute appendicitis.
• To determine if urine test results can provide supplementary information for surgical decision-making in appendicitis cases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 577 patients who underwent appendectomy for suspected acute appendicitis.
• Data collected from January 2018 to December 2022 at Samsun Training and Research Hospital.
• Statistical evaluation of correlations between appendicitis location and erythrocyte, leukocyte, and leukocyte esterase levels in urinalysis.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in erythrocyte values were found between appendicitis locations (p=0.009), particularly in paraileal and retrocecal cases.
• Leukocyte values showed a significant difference across appendicitis locations (p<0.001), notably in paraileal, promontoric, and retrocecal sites.
• Leukocyte esterase positivity was significantly associated with appendicitis location (p=0.002), especially in paraileal and retrocecal positions.

Conclusions:

• Abnormal urinalysis findings are observed in a notable proportion of acute appendicitis patients.
• Erythrocyte, leukocyte, and leukocyte esterase levels in urine correlate significantly with the location of acute appendicitis.
• Urinalysis results can offer valuable insights into appendix location, potentially optimizing surgical timing and operational costs.