OBJECTIVE

To see if diagnostic accuracy and perforation rate in acute appendicitis is associated with age and sex of the patients and with the appendicectomy rate.

DESIGN

Retrospective study of consecutive patients from a defined population. Study of associations between diagnostic accuracy and perforation rate and appendicectomy rate in published reports.

SETTING

Jönköping county, Sweden.

SUBJECTS

3,029 patients operated on for suspected acute appendicitis from 1984-1989.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Findings at laparotomy for acute appendicitis, confirmed with histological examination in 83% of the cases.

RESULTS

Diagnostic accuracy was low at the extremes of age and in women (60% compared with 79% in men, p less than 0.001). When all intra-abdominal conditions were considered the percentage of negative laparotomies among women (24%) was twice that among men (12%, p less than 0.001). This difference between the sexes was also seen in nonfertile ages. Perforation rate was higher among men (18% compared with 13%, p less than 0.01) and at extremes of age. According to correlation analysis of published reports the perforation rate is unrelated to either diagnostic accuracy or appendicectomy rate while diagnostic accuracy is inversely associated with the appendicectomy rate.

CONCLUSION

A low diagnostic accuracy is a problem mainly at extremes of age and in females. A low appendicectomy rate is associated with a high diagnostic accuracy, while the perforation rate is unaffected. A conservative attitude to exploration therefore seems justified.