ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Acute appendicitis is a major cause of acute abdomen. Although its diagnosis is clinical, it is often supported by complementary diagnostic tests. Sometimes, delay in diagnosis can lead to worsening of the clinical picture, resulting in a complicated acute appendicitis. Some series have studied some clinical and analytical parameters as possible predictors of complicated acute appendicitis. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of patients admitted for acute appendicitis and undergoing appendectomy between January 2014 and December 2017 was performed in order to assess the possible existence of preoperative analytical predictive factors for complicated acute appendicitis (such as leukocytosis, C-reactive protein and ratio between neutrophils and lymphocytes). RESULTS: 841 patients underwent emergency appendectomy during the analysed period. This initial sample was divided into two groups: Group 1 with patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis and Group 2 with patients with complicated acute appendicitis. Group 2's presentation age, duration of symptoms and hospital stay was significantly higher than Group 1. Regarding analytical parameters, the measurement of leukocytes, C-reactive protein and ratio between neutrophils and lymphocytes was significantly higher in patients with complicated acute appendicitis. After a multivariate analysis, it was found that only C-reactive protein was a good predictor of complicated acute appendicitis. CONCLUSION: Several publications have studied and demonstrated the possible use of certain analytical parameters as predictors of complicated acute appendicitis. In our study, C-reactive protein proved to be a good independent predictor of complicated acute appendicitis and, therefore, when an assay of this protein exceeds 63.3 mg/L, faster surgical approach should be considered due to the high probability of the presence of a complicated picture of this clinical entity.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Dieulafoy's lesion is a rare entity, normally present in the stomach and more rarely in the colon, and it is responsible for 1% to 5% of acute gastrointestinal bleeding cases. Its true incidence may be underrated, since most cases are asymptomatic and difficult to diagnose despite endoscopic advances. We present a clinical case of acute gastrointestinal bleeding due to Dieulafoy's lesion in the cecum. CASE PRESENTATION: An 85-year-old woman presented with a clinical condition of haematochezia associated with anaemia and haemodynamic instability, needing blood transfusion. Colonoscopy demonstrated a Dieulafoy's lesion in the cecum with active bleeding, and haemostasis was performed successfully with localized adrenaline injection and haemostatic clip placement. Hospitalization occurred without further complications. DISCUSSION: The diagnosis of Dieulafoy's lesion is difficult because it is a rare condition and thus, usually not included in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding. Its endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic approach is the standard method in the event of an acute gastrointestinal bleeding episode, with greater efficiency with the combined use of haemostatic techniques. Surgery is necessary in less than 5% of cases when bleeding is not effectively controlled by endoscopic or angiographic techniques. CONCLUSION: It is essential to be aware of this lesion as a possible cause of gastrointestinal bleeding and differentiate it from other causes. Advances in endoscopy have increased the rate of diagnosis of these lesions and reduced their associated mortality.
