title: Evaluation of plasma serotonin concentration in acute appendicitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to lack of reliable biochemical/radiological markers, the diagnosis of acute appendicitis is based only on clinical features.
  
  
  METHODS
  We estimated plasma serotonin levels in 48 patients with acute appendicitis (histologically proven), 27 patients with abdominal pain of other etiologies, and 20 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The plasma serotonin levels were (mean +/- SD) 36.6 +/- 12.5 nmol/L, 12.5 +/- 3.6 nmol/L and 10.4 +/- 3.5 nmol/L in the three groups, respectively. The levels in patients with acute appendicitis were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than in the other groups, giving 93.8% sensitivity and 95.7% specificity to the test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma serotonin level is a reliable marker of acute appendicitis, especially in the first 48 hours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Pt B D Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chitkara
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Dadoo
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gulati
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narula
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D000208:Acute Disease; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012701:Serotonin