Significance of SIRS score in therapeutic strategy for acute appendicitis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The surgical indication for acute appendicitis has been discussed diversely. SIRS (systematic inflammatory response syndrome) is a concept that has been advocated as the clinical criteria on inflammatory diseases. The aim of the current study was to elucidate the significance of SIRS score in deciding therapeutic strategies for acute appendicitis. METHODOLOGY: One hundred and twenty-five patients who were admitted with the diagnosis of acute appendicitis were investigated in the current study. The ultimate surgical indication was decided by the physical examination done by the surgeons. Fifty-nine patients were indicated for appendectomy. The relationship between decision for the surgical treatment for acute appendicitis and SIRS score/positive status was investigated. RESULTS: SIRS score of the patients who were treated with appendectomy was significantly higher than that of the patients treated with conservative therapy containing starvation and administration of antibiotics therapy and SIRS positive status in patients treated with appendectomy was also higher than that in patients with conservative therapy. CONCLUSIONS: SIRS score is also useful as objective and auxiliary information to determine the surgical indication for acute appendicitis.