ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis (AA) has a prevalence of 8% in the general population with a rate of complicated (perforated) appendicitis (CA) up to 40%. Serum fibrinogen may serve as an indicator for CA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 115 patients were included from January 2012 to December 2012 using a positive pathology report for AA as a gold standard diagnostic method. We divided the patients into two groups accordingly to the pathology report: Complicated Appendicitis and Uncomplicated Appendicitis (UA). Our primary endpoint was to compare the levels of serum fibrinogen between the two groups and find if there is a relationship between fibrinogen level and CA. RESULTS: 68 patients were diagnosed with UA and 47 with CA. Using a fibrinogen value of 885 mg/dl we found to be the best cut-off for predicting complicated appendicitis with a sensitivity of 86.77% (76.87-93.71 IC 95%), a specificity of 91.49 (83.51-99.46 IC 95%), a positive predictive value of 93.65 (95% CI 86.81-99.64) and, a negative predictive value of 82.69 (95% CI 65.73-87.84). CONCLUSION: In the setting of a patient with a clinical diagnosis of AA, this study demonstrates fibrinogen as a good predictor factor for appendiceal perforation.
Subject(s)
Appendicitis/diagnosis , Fibrinogen/analysis , Acute Disease , Adolescent , Adult , Appendicitis/blood , Biomarkers/blood , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Sensitivity and Specificity , Young AdultABSTRACT
The ZNF217 gene, a potential oncogene amplified and overexpressed in several cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC), acts as a transcription factor that activates or represses target genes. The polymorphisms rs16998248 (T>A) and rs35720349 (C>T) in coronary artery disease have been associated with reduced expression of ZNF217. In this study, we analyzed the 2 polymorphisms in Mexican patients with CRC. Genotyping of rs16998248 and rs35720349 sites was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 203 Mexican Mestizos, 101 CRC patients, and 102 healthy blood donors. Although no statistical differences regarding genotype and allele frequencies of ZNF217 polymorphisms were observed (P > 0.05), linkage disequilibrium was significant in CRC patients (r(2) = 0.39, P < 0.0001), as a result of reduced AC haplotype frequency. Thus, the AC haplotype may protect against CRC.
