C reactive protein in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.
OBJECTIVE
To find out if the C reactive protein concentration is of any value in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, either alone or in combination with other laboratory tests.


METHODS
Open study.


METHODS
Drechtsteden Hospital, Dordrecht, and Spaarne Hospital, Heemstede, The Netherlands.


METHODS
209 consecutive patients admitted with suspected appendicitis.


METHODS
Correlation of C reactive protein concentration with age, sex, body temperature, duration of abdominal pain, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, white cell count, neutrophil count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and histological appearance of the appendix.


RESULTS
125 patients of the 209 patients had their appendixes removed, and of these 101 had histologically confirmed appendicitis: A C reactive protein concentration of > or = 6 mg/1 alone had a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 50%. When the selected variables were subjected to multivariate analysis the most important, in decreasing order, were white blood cell count, female sex, and C reactive protein concentration. Combining the variables was of no additional value.


CONCLUSIONS
measurement of the C reactive protein concentration can increase the accuracy in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.
Oosterhuis
W P
WP
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Drechtsteden Hospital, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Zwinderman
A H
AH
Teeuwen
M
M
van Andel
G
G
Oldenziel
H
H
Kerkhoff
J F
JF
Siebbeles
H W
HW
van der Helm
H J
HJ
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D013997:Time Factors
D002097:C-Reactive Protein