Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39226377›Full record

ArticleBJS open2024

Impact of an appendicolith and its characteristics on the severity of acute appendicitis.

Sami Sula, Timo Paananen, Ville Tammilehto, Saija Hurme, Anne Mattila, Tuomo Rantanen, Tero Rautio, Tarja Pinta, Suvi Sippola, Jussi M Haijanen and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BJS open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing 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

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Appendicitis.Nature reviews. Disease primers · 2025
    Review
  9. Article
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

11 authors.

Sami SulaDivision of Digestive Surgery and Urology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.ORCID 0000-0003-4637-6145
Timo PaananenDepartment of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Ville TammilehtoDepartment of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Saija HurmeDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Anne MattilaDepartment of Digestive Surgery, Hospital Nova of Central Finland, Jyväskylä, Finland.
Tuomo RantanenDepartment of Digestive Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
Tero RautioDepartment of Digestive Surgery, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
Tarja PintaDepartment of Digestive Surgery, Seinäjoki Central Hospital, Seinäjoki, Finland.
Suvi SippolaDepartment of Digestive Surgery, Hospital Nova of Central Finland, Jyväskylä, Finland.
Jussi M HaijanenDivision of Digestive Surgery and Urology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Paulina SalminenDivision of Digestive Surgery and Urology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.ORCID 0000-0001-6435-9264

Funding

Orion Research FoundationSigrid Jusélius Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAntibiotics have been reported as an efficient and safe treatment option for uncomplicated acute appendicitis without an appendicolith diagnosed using computed tomography (CT). The aim of this study was to assess the association of a CT-diagnosed appendicolith and its characteristics with appendicitis severity.

methodsA large prospective patient cohort with suspected acute appendicitis enrolled between April 2017 and November 2018 was retrospectively reviewed. The initial analysis evaluated the association of a CT-diagnosed appendicolith with complicated acute appendicitis; then, based on the availability of CT images, a subset of patients was analysed for the correlation of appendicolith characteristics with appendicitis severity. The final appendicitis assessment (uncomplicated or complicated-including perforation, gangrene, an abscess, or a tumour) was determined for all patients.

resultsOut of 3512 eligible patients, 3085 patients with appendicitis were selected and 380 patients with an appendicolith and with a CT image available for reassessment were included. Out of the 3085 patients with CT-diagnosed acute appendicitis, 1101 (35.7%) patients presented with both acute appendicitis and an appendicolith and, out of these, 519 (47.1%) had complicated acute appendicitis. In the patients without an appendicolith (1984 patients), 426 (21.5%) had complicated appendicitis (P < 0.001). Re-evaluation of CT images for 380 patients showed that a larger appendicolith diameter (OR = 1.15 (95% c.i. 1.06 to 1.25); P < 0.001), appendicolith location at the base of the appendix (55.1% versus 44.9%; P = 0.008), and heterogeneous appendiceal wall enhancement around the appendicolith (68.4% versus 31.6%; P < 0.001) were associated with an increased risk of complicated acute appendicitis.

conclusionThe presence of an appendicolith in patients with acute appendicitis is correlated with the risk of complicated appendicitis. This risk is further increased by a larger appendicolith diameter or appendicolith location at the base of the appendix.

Indexed as

AppendicitisSeverity of Illness IndexTomography, X-Ray ComputedAcute DiseaseAdolescentAdultAgedAppendectomyAppendixFemaleHumansLithiasisMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesRetrospective Studies

Identifiers

PMID39226377
PMCPMC11370785

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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.