Appendicitis in children from a gender perspective

The incidence in appendicitis and the appendectomy rate are different between boys and girls. This study aimed to further evaluate appendicitis in children from a gender perspective. Gender differences in presentation, perioperative care, and outcome after appendectomy were examined.

A single, institution-based, retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary pediatric surgery center. All children <15 years of age who underwent appendectomy for suspected appendicitis or who were conservatively treated for an appendiceal abscess, from 2006 to 2014, were included. Patient demographics, symptoms, preoperative management including time to appendectomy, operative characteristics, and postoperative course including complications and length of hospital stay were evaluated.

The study included 427 children: 183 girls and 244 boys. The median postoperative follow-up time was 40 (range 1–106) months. The genders did not differ significantly in age, mean weight, symptoms, laboratory results, time to appendectomy, postoperative complications, postoperative pain management, antibiotic treatment, and length of hospital stay. The frequencies of hopping/percussion/coughing tenderness in the right lower quadrant (61 and 51 %, p = 0.042), phlegmonous appendicitis (56 and 45 %, p = 0.032), perforated appendicitis (18 and 10 %, p = 0.043), and open appendectomy (57 and 28 %, p = 0.048) were significantly higher in boys. Girls had significantly higher frequencies of preoperative imaging (50 and 38 %, p = 0.021), negative appendectomy (18 and 7 %, p = 0.005), gangrenous appendicitis (18 and 11 %, p = 0.049), and operative complications (7 and 2 %, p = 0.015). In girls, the Pediatric Appendicitis Score (PAS) was more specific (59 and 41 %, respectively, p = 0.032) and had a greater negative predictive value (33 and 11 %, respectively, p = 0.003) than in boys.

In children with appendicitis, there are some gender differences. Girls had negative appendectomies more often, despite having more preoperative imaging and they had operative complications more frequently, despite having less frequent perforations. Boys had a higher frequency of perforation even though their time to appendectomy equaled that of girls. These findings and the reasons behind them must be further studied.