Additional value of biochemical tests in suspected acute appendicitis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of biochemical tests in diagnosing acute appendicitis.


METHODS
Open prospective study.


METHODS
District hospital, Norway.


METHODS
257 patients with suspected acute appendicitis.


METHODS
Initial diagnostic accuracy of a logistic regression model using available clinical data was compared with results of corresponding models that included an increasing number of inflammatory parameters.


METHODS
The estimated probabilities of appendicitis in different testing groups were analysed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.


RESULTS
A model including only clinical variables had a mean area under the ROC curve of 0.854. When the total white blood cell count, C-reactive protein concentration, and neutrophil count were added, the model improved significantly to 0.920.


CONCLUSIONS
Biochemical tests are of additional value in a computer model, and the tests should, if used rationally, also provide physicians with important information in the investigation of acute appendicitis.
Hallan
S
S
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Innherred Hospital, Levanger, Norway.
Asberg
A
A
Edna
T H
TH
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity