Comparative analysis of alvarado and teicher scores in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis

ABSTRACT

To compare the efficacy of Alvarado and Teicher scores in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, using postoperative histopathology as gold standard. Comparative, cross sectional study. Department of surgery, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from 22nd June 2006 to 26th February 2007. Hundred cases of clinically diagnosed/suspected of acute appendicitis were included in the study by convenience [non-probability] sampling. Selected patients were graded according to Alvarado and Teicher scores, and underwent appendicectomy. All appendicectomy specimens were sent for histopathology reporting. A 2 x 2 table was used to determine sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and diagnostic efficacy for both the scoring systems. Using Alvarado and Teicher scores, a sensitivity of 95% and 89.55%, specificity of 69.69% and 66.66%, positive predictive value of 86.48% and 85.71%, negative predictive value of 88.46% and 76.66%, negative appendicectomy rate of 13.5% and 15.49% and diagnostic efficacy of 87% and 83% were found, respectively. Alvarado score has better diagnostic accuracy as compared to Teicher score in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis