Clinical Features and Preventability of Delayed Diagnosis of Pediatric Appendicitis.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Delayed diagnosis of appendicitis is associated with worse outcomes than timely diagnosis, but clinical features associated with diagnostic delay are uncertain, and the extent to which delays are preventable is unclear.

Objective

To determine clinical features associated with delayed diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis, assess the frequency of preventable delay, and compare delay outcomes.

Design, setting, and participants

This case-control study included 748 children treated at 5 pediatric emergency departments in the US between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. Participants were younger than 21 years and had a diagnosis of appendicitis.

Exposures

Individual features of appendicitis and pretest likelihood of appendicitis were measured by the P

SUBMITTER: Michelson KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8408667 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature