A new study indicates that a classification system based on patient symptoms and basic lab tests can reduce the need for diagnostic imaging, hospital admissions, and surgery in patients with suspected appendicitis.
The system is based on the Appendicitis Inflammatory Response (AIR) score, which includes the following parameters: pain in right iliac fossa, history of vomiting, rebound tenderness or muscular guarding, body temperature, white blood cell count, proportion of neutrophil granulocytes, and C-reactive protein concentration.
The British Journal of Surgery study included 1068 patients presenting with suspicion of appendicitis who were randomized to routine diagnostic imaging or in-hospital observation with selective diagnostic imaging after repeat AIR-scoring.
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