title: Is neopterin a diagnostic marker of acute appendicitis?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The diagnosis of acute appendicitis, even for experienced surgeons, can sometimes be complex. A delay in diagnosis increases the complication rate. This experimental study aimed to investigate the suitability and significance of neopterin as a marker for acute appendicitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The levels of neopterin were measured using an acute appendicitis animal model in 35 New Zealand male rabbits. They were divided into 5 groups as Group 1= control; Group 2= sham; and Groups 3 (12-hour); 4 (24-hour); and 5 (48-hour) (based on the elapsed time period before their appendectomies). The neopterin levels of each group were measured by neopterin enzyme immunoassay kit in blood samples (taken before the appendectomies in Groups 3, 4 and 5).
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, the optimal cut-off point was 34.475 nmol/L. The probability of acute appendicitis was found to be 4.667 times higher when the neopterin level was greater than 34.475 nmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study was an experimental animal study; however, it provides valuable clues useful in clinical assessment. Neopterin seems to have great potential as a new diagnostic marker for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Gülhane Military Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey. kagancoskun@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kağan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Coşkun
authors.forename: Oner
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Menteş
authors.forename: Ayşegül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atak
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aral
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eryılmaz
authors.forename: Onder
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Onguru
authors.forename: Müjdat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balkan
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kozak
authors.forename: Sadettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cetiner
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019798:Neopterin