World Journal of Surgery
Volume 21, Number 3, 313-317, DOI: 10.1007/s002689900235

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Incidence of Acute Nonperforated and Perforated Appendicitis: Age-specific and Sex-specific Analysis

Hartwig Körner, Karl Söndenaa, Jon Arne Söreide, Egil Andersen, Arne Nysted, Tone H. Lende and Kjell H. Kjellevold

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Abstract

n = 544 (37%)] were analyzed with regard to prehospitalization duration of symptoms and in-hospital observation time. The crude incidence of acute appendicitis was 86 per 100,000 per year. Although the incidence of nonperforated appendicitis was highest among adolescents and young adults (13–40 years of age), perforated appendicitis occurred at almost the same incidence in all sex and age groups. The diagnostic accuracy was 76%. Perforated appendicitis occurred in 19%, with higher rates in small children and the elderly, irrespective of gender. A high diagnostic accuracy was not associated with an increased rate of perforation. In small children and the elderly, the diagnostic accuracy was low and the perforation rate high. Patients with perforation had a significantly longer duration of symptoms as well as in-hospital observation time than did patients with nonperforated appendicitis. Perforated appendicitis showed a different incidence pattern than nonperforated appendicitis and was associated with a significantly longer duration of symptoms and in-hospital observation time, probably due to patient-related factors. We suggest this observation deserves attention regarding clinical diagnosis and treatment decision-making for patients with suspected acute appendicitis.

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