Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37680208›Full record

ArticleHealth science reports2023

Appendicitis and its associated mortality and morbidity in infants up to 3 months of age: A systematic review.

Sarah-May M L The, Anne-Fleur M H The, Joep P M Derikx, Roel Bakx, Douwe H Visser, Tim G J de Meij, Johannes C F Ket, Ernest L W van Heurn, Ramon R Gorter

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health science reports, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Sarah-May M L TheDepartment of Paediatric Surgery, Emma Children's Hospital Amsterdam UMC University of Amsterdam & Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0731-3128
Anne-Fleur M H TheUniversity of Groningen University Medical Centre Groningen Groningen The Netherlands.
Joep P M DerikxDepartment of Paediatric Surgery, Emma Children's Hospital Amsterdam UMC University of Amsterdam & Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Roel BakxDepartment of Paediatric Surgery, Emma Children's Hospital Amsterdam UMC University of Amsterdam & Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Douwe H VisserDepartment of Neonatology, Emma Children's Hospital Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Tim G J de MeijAmsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Johannes C F KetMedical Library Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Ernest L W van HeurnDepartment of Paediatric Surgery, Emma Children's Hospital Amsterdam UMC University of Amsterdam & Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Ramon R GorterDepartment of Paediatric Surgery, Emma Children's Hospital Amsterdam UMC University of Amsterdam & Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and Aims: Although appendicitis is rare in young infants, the reported mortality is high. Primary aim of this systematic review was to provide updated insights in the mortality and morbidity (postoperative complications, Clavien-Dindo grades I-IV) of appendicitis in infants ≤3 months of age. Secondary aims comprised the evaluation of patient characteristics, diagnostic work-up, treatment strategies, comorbidity, and factors associated with poor outcome. Methods: This systematic review was reported according to the PRISMA statement with a search performed in Pubmed, Embase and Web of Science (up to September 5th 2022). Original articles (published in English ≥1980) reporting on infants ≤3 months of age with appendicitis were included. Both patients with abdominal appendicitis and herniated appendicitis (such as Amyand's hernia) were considered. Data were provided descriptively. Results: In total, 131 articles were included encompassing 242 cases after identification of 4294 records. Overall, 184 (76%) of the 242 patients had abdominal and 58 (24%) had herniated appendicitis. Two-hundred (83%) of the patients were newborns (≤28 days) and 42 (17%) were infants between 29 days and ≤3 months of age. Either immediate, or after initial conservative treatment, 236 (98%) patients underwent surgical treatment. Some 168 (69%) patients had perforated appendicitis. Mortality was reported in 20 (8%) patients and morbidity in an additional 18 (8%). All fatal cases had abdominal appendicitis and fatal outcome was relatively more often reported in newborns, term patients, patients with relevant comorbidity, nonperforated appendicitis and those presented from home. Conclusion: Mortality was reported in 20 (8%) infants ≤3 months of age and additional morbidity in 18 (8%). All patients with fatal outcome had abdominal appendicitis. Several patient characteristics were relatively more often reported in infants with poor outcome and adequate monitoring, early recognition and prompt treatment may favour the outcome.

Indexed as

appendicitisinfantsmorbiditymortalityneonatesnewborns

Identifiers

PMID37680208
PMCPMC10480420

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.