Comparative Analysis of Acute Appendicitis Cases During and Prior to the Pandemic

Year 2024, , 162 - 168, 01.07.2024

Oğuzhan Fatih Ay , Mehmet Akif Üstüner , Murat Can , Hikmet Haşemi , Burak Bilir

https://doi.org/10.18663/tjcl.1427267

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics, morbidity, and diagnostic accuracy of imaging modalities in acute appendicitis cases during the COVID-19 pandemic and the pre-pandemic period.
Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 898 patients who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis between April 2019 and April 2021. The study population was divided into two groups: pre-pandemic (n=508; April 2019 to April 2020) and pandemic (n=390; April 2020 to April 2021). We compared the socio-demographic characteristics, clinical features, morbidity rates, and the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography (USG) and computed tomography (CT) between the two periods.
Results: The prevalence of complicated cases was significantly higher during the pre-pandemic period (29.3%) compared to the pandemic period (15.6%). The morbidity rate was also significantly higher in the pre-pandemic period. ( p= 0,004) The sensitivity of USG in diagnosing appendicitis decreased during the pandemic period, while CT scans remained more sensitive than USG in both periods. (sensitivity = 0.93, specificity = 0,67) The prevalence of chronic diseases was significantly higher during the pandemic period.
Conclusion: Our study revealed that the prevalence of complicated appendicitis cases was significantly higher during the pre-pandemic period compared to the pandemic period. Additionally, the sensitivity of ultrasonography in diagnosing appendicitis decreased during the pandemic, while CT scans maintained their sensitivity across both periods. Based on our findings, we can confidently conclude that the pandemic does not exacerbate the severity of acute appendicitis cases.

Keywords

acute apendicitis, pandemic, radyology, morbidity, management

Pandemi Dönemi ve Öncesinde Akut Apandisit Olgularının Karşılaştırmalı Analizi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışma, COVID-19 pandemisi sırasında ve pandemi öncesi dönemde akut apandisit vakalarında klinik özellikler, morbidite ve görüntüleme yöntemlerinin tanısal doğruluğunu karşılaştırmayı amaçlamıştır.
Yöntem: Nisan 2019 ile Nisan 2021 arasında akut apandisit nedeniyle ameliyat olan 898 hastanın kayıtları retrospektif olarak analiz edilmiştir. Çalışma popülasyonu iki gruba ayrılmıştır: pandemi öncesi (n=508; Nisan 2019 - Nisan 2020) ve pandemi (n=390; Nisan 2020 - Nisan 2021). İki dönem arasında sosyodemografik özellikler, klinik özellikler, morbidite oranları ve ultrasonografi (USG) ile bilgisayarlı tomografi (BT) tanısal doğruluğu karşılaştırılmıştır.
Bulgular: Komplike vakaların prevalansı, pandemi öncesi dönemde (%29.3) pandemi dönemine (%15.6) göre anlamlı olarak daha yüksekti. Morbidite oranı da pandemi öncesi dönemde anlamlı olarak daha yüksekti. ( p= 0,004) USG'nin apandisiti teşhis etmedeki duyarlılığı pandemi döneminde azalmış, ancak BT taramaları her iki dönemde de USG'den daha duyarlı kalmıştır ( sensivite = 0.93, spesifite = 0,67) . Kronik hastalıkların prevalansı pandemi döneminde anlamlı olarak daha yüksekti.
Sonuç: Çalışmamız, komplike apandisit vakalarının prevalansının pandemi öncesi döneme göre pandemi döneminde anlamlı olarak daha düşük olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca, apandisiti teşhis etmede ultrasonografinin duyarlılığı pandemi döneminde azalmış, ancak BT taramaları her iki dönemde de duyarlılıklarını korumuştur. Çalışmamızın sonuçlarına dayanarak, pandemi döneminde apandisit vakalarının daha komplike hale gelmediğini ifade edebiliriz.

Keywords

akut apandisit, pandemi, radyoloji, morbidite, yönetim

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