Acute Appendicitis During Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Increasing Incidence of Complicate Appendicitis, Severity and Length of Hospitalization

Overview

Journal In Vivo

Specialty Oncology

Date 2022 Apr 28

PMID 35478123

Authors

Marco Pellicciaro

Gianluca Vanni

Simona Grande

Marco Materazzo

Francesca Santori

Tatiana DI Cesare

Matteo Ciancio Manuelli

Daniele Sforza

Massimo Villa

Dario Venditti

Michele Grande

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

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.

Citing Articles

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of patients presenting with appendicitis to the emergency department.

Akrida I, Verras G, Bouchagier K, Kehagias D, Kaplanis C, Tasios K Prz Gastroenterol. 2024; 19(2):194-197.

PMID: 38939065 PMC: 11200070. DOI: 10.5114/pg.2023.129495.

Spontaneous Resolution of Uncomplicated Appendicitis may Explain Increase in Proportion of Complicated Appendicitis During Covid-19 Pandemic: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Andersson R, Agiorgiti M, Bendtsen M World J Surg. 2023; 47(8):1901-1916.

PMID: 37140609 PMC: 10158710. DOI: 10.1007/s00268-023-07027-z.

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