Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39085761›Full record

ArticleBMC gastroenterology2024

Assessment of Alvarado criteria, ultrasound, CRP, and their combination in patients with suspected acute appendicitis: a single centre study.

Ali Tayebi, Faranak Olamaeian, Keihan Mostafavi, Kasra Khosravi, Adnan Tizmaghz, Mansour Bahardoust, Alireza Zakaryaei, Daniyal Enayat Mehr

Abstract read
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Article in BMC gastroenterology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

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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

8 authors.

Ali TayebiFiroozabadi Clinical Research Development Unit (F A CRD U) School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran. Tayebi81@gmail.com.
Faranak OlamaeianFiroozabadi Clinical Research Development Unit (F A CRD U) School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Keihan MostafaviLung Transplantation Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Kasra KhosraviStudent Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Adnan TizmaghzFiroozabadi Clinical Research Development Unit (F A CRD U) School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Mansour BahardoustDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Alireza ZakaryaeiStudent Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Daniyal Enayat MehrStudent Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAcute appendicitis (AA) is one of the most common reasons for visiting the emergency room. The lack of proper diagnosis and rapid treatment of AA may lead to severe complications such as intestinal perforation and increased mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Alvarado criteria, ultrasound, and CRP criteria in comparison with their combined use in patients with suspected AA who presented to the emergency room.

methodsIn this diagnostic accuracy study, 1411 patients with suspected AA who presented to the emergency department of Firoozabadi Hospital affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences and underwent appendectomy from October 2019 to October 2021 were examined. Nine hundred eighty-eight patients were enrolled. All patients were assessed using Alvarado, CRP, and ultrasound. The definitive diagnosis of AA was based on pathological findings and was considered the gold standard. Statistical analyses were performed with STATA VER 11.5. The diagnostic accuracy for each group was compared using the Pearson chi-square test. A value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

resultsThe mean age was 29.57 ± 13.66 years. The sensitivity and specificity of Alvarado in the diagnostic accuracy of appendicectomy were 75.2% and 61.3% (CI = 95%), respectively. The sensitivity of ultrasound and CRP for predicting appendicitis was significantly higher than the Alvarado criteria. The diagnostic accuracy for CRP was significantly higher than ultrasound (64.9% vs. 60.7%, P: 0.003). The diagnostic accuracy of the simultaneous use of Alvarado + CRP and CRP + Ultrasound was significantly higher than that of Alvarado + ultrasound. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the simultaneous use of all three criteria together (Alvarado + Ultrasound + CRP) were estimated to be 94.9%, 25.8%, and 81.5% (CI = 95%), respectively, which were significantly higher than the use of other criteria.

conclusionThis study showed that the Alvarado criteria had inadequate diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy for diagnosing acute appendicitis. The diagnostic accuracy of acute appendicitis increases to over 90% using the three Alvarado, ultrasound, and CRP criteria at the same time.

Indexed as

AppendectomyAppendicitisC-Reactive ProteinUltrasonographyAcute DiseaseAdolescentAdultEmergency Service, HospitalFemaleHumansIranMaleSensitivity and SpecificityYoung AdultC-Reactive ProteinAccuracyAcute appendicitisAlvaradoCRPEmergencyUltrasound

Identifiers

PMID39085761
PMCPMC11289915

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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.