Characteristics of Acute Appendicitis before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Single Center Experience
Table 2
Treatment characteristics of the patients in the two groups observed.
Variable
Total N = 427
Pre-COVID group N = 240
COVID group N = 187
value
Duration of symptoms, hours, self-reported
24 (1–240)
24 (3–168)
24 (1–240)
0.065
Treatment modality, n (%)
Open appendectomy
104 (24.36)
54 (22.50)
50 (26.74)
0.368
Laparoscopic appendectomy
323 (75.64)
186 (77.50)
137 (73.26)
Administration of antibiotics, n (%)
332 (77.75)
160 (66.67)
172 (91.98)
<0.001
Grade of appendicitis, n (%)
Normal appendix
48 (11.24)
33 (13.75)
15 (8.02)
0.085
Uncomplicated appendicitis
295 (69.09)
166 (69.17)
129 (68.98)
0.085
Complicated appendicitis
84 (19.67)
41 (17.08)
43 (22.99)
0.085
Postoperative peritoneal drain, n (%)
152 (35.60)
78 (32.50)
74 (39.57)
0.130
Length of admission (days)
5 (2–33)
5 (2–33)
5 (3–32)
0.990
Final diagnostic imaging, n (%)
Ultrasound
137 (32.08)
80 (33.33)
57 (30.48)
0.531
CT
39 (9.13)
24 (10.00)
15 (8.02)
0.481
We did not notice any significant differences in the duration of symptoms between the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 groups. There was no change in the representation of operational techniques. We noticed higher rate of antibiotics administration during the COVID-19 period. The incidence of complicated appendicitis was not higher in the COVID-19 period. Also, the length of hospital stay did not change during the COVID-19 era. Imaging techniques were equally represented before and in the COVID-19 era.
