Analysis of Risk Factors for Appendicitis in Children: A Multicenter Epidemiological Study

Year 2016, Volume: 43 Issue: 4, 556 - 560, 25.12.2016

Serkan Arslan , Bahattin Aydogdu Mehmet Serif Arslan Hikmet Zeytun Mehmet Hanifi Okur Erol Basuguy Ali Erdal Karakaya Ibrahim Uygun Selcuk Otcu

https://doi.org/10.5798/diclemedj.0921.2015.01.0521

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Objectives: In our study, the assessment of age,
gender, incidence and seasonal differences in the regions related to
appendicitis were investigated.

Methods: 676 patients that received an operation
following a diagnosis of appendicitis in 3 hospitals from 3 different
regions of Turkey occurring at different dates were examined
retrospectively after being categorized by region. The differences among
groups were compared to each.

Results: The mean age of male (63%) (n = 426) and
female (37%) (n = 250) patients (total = 676) was 10.8 years (range,
1–18 years). The percentage of female patients in the The Black Sea
Region (BR) group was significantly higher (48%) than that in the other
two groups (%33 for SR, 30% for MR) (P = 0.001). The frequency of
appendicitis was higher (36%) in the spring and winter (25%) than that
during summer or fall. The number of cases increased the most in the BR
group in spring (47%) (P < 0.001). When the types of appendicitis in
the different age groups were compared with season, acute appendicitis
(P < 0.02) was more frequently (93%) seen in the child-adolesan (CA)
group in the spring; however, perfore apandicitis (45%) was greater in
the Infant-Preschool (IPS) group (P < 0.02). Acute appendicitis
comprised 55% and perforated appendicitis comprised 45% of cases in the
IPS group, whereas acute appendicitis comprised 78% and perforated
appendicitis comprised 22% in the CA group.

Conclusion: According to the results of our study,
appendicitis was most frequently seen in the spring and winter seasons
and more frequent in boys between the ages of 10-13 years. As age
decreases, the frequency of perforated appendicitis increases.
Appendicitis is affected by environmental factors. Reducing the
incidence of appendicitis may be possible by establishing regional and
specific studies related to this subject and the etiologies of the
disease.

Keywords

Season, children, regional, appendicitis

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