BACKGROUND/AIM: COVID-19 is rapidly spreading, and due to the high morbidity and mortality caused by the pandemic many Governments have introduced social restrictions. Those measures combined with infection-related patient anxiety, led to hiding other diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on numbers and severity of acute appendicitis cases referred during the pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 2019 and March 2021, all patients who underwent appendectomy in Tor Vergata Hospital, Rome were included. Patients were divided in two groups (COVID-19/pre-COVID-19). Clinical features, intraoperative findings, hospital stay, and histologic examination data were included in the retrospective analysis. RESULTS: Out of 334 admitted patients, 36 (10.7%) had a diagnosis of acute appendicitis (COVID-19 group) vs. 59(11.2%) in the pre-COVID-19 group. The COVID-19 group presented significantly longer hospitalization, incidence of appendicular abscess, perforation, and severity of inflammation at univariate analysis p=0.002, p=0.021, p=0.001, p=0.006, p=0.001, respectively. At multivariate analysis, appendicular abscess (p=0.015) and higher serum levels of C reactive protein (p<0.008) were associated with prolonged hospital stay. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the correlation between COVID-19 pandemic and the severity of acute appendicitis presentations.
BACKGROUND/AIM: COVID-19 is rapidly spreading, and due to the high morbidity and mortality caused by the pandemic many Governments have introduced social restrictions. Those measures combined with infection-related patient anxiety, led to hiding other diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on numbers and severity of acute appendicitis cases referred during the pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 2019 and March 2021, all patients who underwent appendectomy in Tor Vergata Hospital, Rome were included. Patients were divided in two groups (COVID-19/pre-COVID-19). Clinical features, intraoperative findings, hospital stay, and histologic examination data were included in the retrospective analysis. RESULTS: Out of 334 admitted patients, 36 (10.7%) had a diagnosis of acute appendicitis (COVID-19 group) vs. 59(11.2%) in the pre-COVID-19 group. The COVID-19 group presented significantly longer hospitalization, incidence of appendicular abscess, perforation, and severity of inflammation at univariate analysis p=0.002, p=0.021, p=0.001, p=0.006, p=0.001, respectively. At multivariate analysis, appendicular abscess (p=0.015) and higher serum levels of C reactive protein (p<0.008) were associated with prolonged hospital stay. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the correlation between COVID-19 pandemic and the severity of acute appendicitis presentations.
Authors: Jochem C G Scheijmans; Alexander B J Borgstein; Jan M Prins; Hester A Gietema; Jaap Stoker; Suzanne S Gisbertz; Marc G H Besselink; Marja A Boermeester; Carl A J Puylaert; Wouter J Bom; Said Bachiri; Eduard A van Bodegraven; Amarins T A Brandsma; Floor M Ter Brugge; Steve M M de Castro; Roy Couvreur; Lotte C Franken; Marcia P Gaspersz; Michelle R de Graaff; Hannah Groenen; Suzanne C Kleipool; Toon J L Kuypers; Milou H Martens; David M Mens; Ricardo G Orsini; Nando J M M Reneerkens; Thomas Schok; Wouter J A Sedee; Shahzad Tavakoli Rad; José H Volders; Pepijn D Weeder Journal: BMC Emerg Med Date: 2021-05-12
Authors: Charlotte L Kvasnovsky; Yan Shi; Barrie S Rich; Richard D Glick; Samuel Z Soffer; Aaron M Lipskar; Stephen Dolgin; Naina Bagrodia; Andrew Hong; Jose M Prince; Douglas E James; Chethan Sathya Journal: J Pediatr Surg Date: 2020-06-23 Impact factor: 2.545