Is early analgesia associated with delayed treatment of appendicitis?
OBJECTIVE
We sought to investigate the relationship between delay in treatment of appendicitis and early use of analgesia.


METHODS
We designed a matched case-control study, with patients having delayed treatment of appendicitis as the cases and patients with no delay in treatment of appendicitis as controls matched for age, sex, Alvarado score, and date of diagnosis. Of 957 patients with appendicitis, there were 103 delayed cases. Matching patients were identified yielding 103 controls.


RESULTS
In comparing cases and controls for early opiate use (26/103 cases, 24/103 controls), there was no association with delayed treatment (odds ratio, 1.11; P = .745; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-3.89). When comparing cases and controls for early NSAID use (29/103 cases, 17/103 controls), an association was found with delayed treatment (odds ratio, 1.98; P = .045; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-3.89).


CONCLUSIONS
For early analgesia in appendicitis, we did not find an association with delayed treatment for opiate analgesia, but there did appear to be an association with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesia.
Frei
Steven P
SP
Emergency Department, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg, Bethlehem, PA 18017, USA. steven.frei@lvh.com
Bond
William F
WF
Bazuro
Robert K
RK
Richardson
David M
DM
Sierzega
Gina M
GM
Wasser
Thomas E
TE
D000328:Adult; D000698:Analgesia; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal