Issue Highlights

The authors sought to determine if C-reactive protein  (CRP) and symptom duration could be used to improve the diagnosis of appendicitis compared to white blood cell count (WBC) and absolute neutrophil count (ANC). The diagnostic accuracy of WBC, ANC, and CRP were retrospectively compared for 539 patients with symptom duration less than or equal to 1 day compared to symptom duration for more than 1 day. While sensitivity and specificity of all the laboratory perimeters increased at>1 day of symptom duration, no laboratory test had adequate characteristics to be used alone to diagnose appendicitis in the population studied.
Source: The Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research