title: C-reactive protein in the differential diagnosis of the acute abdomen, especially acute appendicitis.
abstract: Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was qualitatively determined before surgery in 189 patients undergoing appendicectomy. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and overall accuracy of CRP were assessed: CRP had a high specificity (76.3%) but a sensitivity of only 39.7%. CRP may be of value in the assessment of acute abdominal pain, by helping to exclude from surgery those patients with normal appendices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, King Saud University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: al-Saigh
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000209:etiology*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein