Research Article

Pediatric Appendicitis Score in Evaluation of the Diagnosis of Childhood Appendicitis at Children’s hospital, Vientiane Laos, PDR

Abstract

Background: Accurate and timely diagnosis of appendicitis in children remains difficult and challenging for pediatric surgeons and other medical care specialists. Pediatric Appendicitis Score (PAS) is a scoring system which includes Symptoms, Physical Signs and laboratory examination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of Pediatric Appendicitis Score and to aid early diagnosis of appendicitis in children. Methods: A prospective study was done in Children’s Hospital, Surgery department including children age 3-14 years old with abdominal pain where acute appendicitis was suspected, The patients were admitted during the study period, January 2022 to July 2024, Group 1, 120 patients explored for appendicitis with PAS 5 or above, and Group 2, 30 no operative patients observed for abdominal pain with PAS between 1-5. SPSS 23.0 was used to analyze data. Result: 120 patients from group 1 with appendicitis, PAS 5: 3.3%, PAS 6: 3.3%, PAS 7: 5%, PAS 8: 20%, PAS 9: 30.8%, PAS 10: 37.5%, PAS mean: 8.84. Post operation diagnosis was acute appendicitis: 97.5%, only 3 case 2.5% was false positive for acute appendicitis; Type of appendicitis 4.3% were inflamed, 59.8% were suppurative, gangrenous were 3.4%, perforate 32.5%. 30 patients Group 2 with nonoperative patients observed for abdominal pain, PAS from 2-5, PAS 2: 20%, PAS 3: 43.3%, PAS 4: 33.3%, PAS 5: 3.3%, PAS mean: 3.2. Conclusion: Pediatric Appendicitis Score is a simple, relatively valuable diagnostic tool for identifying childhood appendicitis. PAS ≤ 3 suggest it is not appendicitis, PAS 4-6 may be appendicitis, PAS ≥ 7 almost diagnostic for acute appendicitis, We recommend using this scoring system in heath care centers and provincial hospital so in Laos.