Acute mechanical bowel obstruction: Clinical presentation, etiology, management and outcome

Table 1 Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data of the total study group on arrival at the Emergency Department (n = 150)

Value	Variable
Age (yr)1	63.8 ± 1.3 (65.0) (range: 16-98)
Sex (Male/Female)2	M: 60 (40%)/F: 90 (60%)
Time between onset of symptoms and arrival (h)1	33.5 ± 2.3 (24.0) (range: 2-120)
Systolic arterial blood pressure (mmHg)1	121.2 ± 1.7 (120.0) (range: 80-170)
Diastolic arterial blood pressure (mmHg)1	62.1 ± 0.9 (65.0) (range: 40-90)
Heart rate (/min)1	80.4 ± 0.8 (79.5) (range: 60-130)
Breathing rate (/min)1	15.4 ± 0.1 (15.0) (range:11-22)
Body temperature (°C)1	36.4 ± 0.03 (36.4) (range: 35.5-37.4)
Fever (temperature > 38.0°C)2	0 (0%)
Absence of passage of flatus2	135 (90%)
Absence of passage of feces2	121 (80.6%)
Vomiting2	118 (78.6%)
Nausea2	89 (59.3%)
Abdominal discomfort2	99 (66%)
Abdominal distension2	98 (65.3%)
Colicky abdominal pain2	111 (74%)
Continuous abdominal pain2	22 (14.6%)
Abdominal muscle guarding2	56 (37.3%)
Rebound tenderness2	7 (4.6%)
Small bowel obstruction2	114 (76%)
Large bowel obstruction2	36 (24%)
White blood cell (WBC) count (109/L)1	9.93 ± 0.29 (8.90) [range: 3.58-24.4]
Leukocytosis2 (WBC count > 10.8 × 109/L)2	55 (36.6%)

¹Values are expressed as mean ± SE and median (parenthesis);

²Values are expressed as number of patients and percentage (parenthesis).