COVID-19 pandemic changed the management and outcomes of acute appendicitis in northern Beijing: A single-center study

Table 1 Comparison of characteristics between the two groups (mean ± SD)

	Group 2020 (n = 185)	Group 2019 (n = 187)	P value
Sex, male, n (%)	95, 51.4%	83, 44.4%	0.18
Age (year)	40.40 ± 14.90	40.45 ± 15.66	0.70
Disease onset time (h)	36.78 ± 57.05	33.27 ± 34.92	0.18
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, n (%)	94, 50.8%	104, 55.6%	0.35
Peritonitis, n (%)	75, 40.5%	93, 49.7%	0.08
Comorbidities, n (%)	24, 13%	17, 9.1%	0.23
History of appendicitis, n (%)	30, 16.2%	28, 15%	0.74
Fever, n (%)	120, 64.5%	99, 52.9%	0.02
WBC (109/L)	12.94 ± 4.42	12.73 ± 4.11	0.41
CRP (mg/L)	33.40 ± 51.64	36.00 ± 56.17	0.78
N%	80.92 ± 11.91	80.72 ± 10.69	0.58
NLR	10.56 ± 9.58	9.60 ± 8.17	0.32
Appendix diameter (mm)	9.31 ± 4.05	4.78 ± 4.20	< 0.01
Appendicolith, n (%)	65, 35.1%	68, 36.4%	0.81
Ascites in image, n (%)	43, 23.2%	45, 24.1%	0.85
Treatment, non-surgical treatment, n (%)	159, 85.9%	74, 39.6%	< 0.01
Uncomplicated appendicitis, n (%)	97, 52.4%	120, 64.2%	0.02

WBC: White blood cell count; CRP: C-reactive protein; NLR: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.

Table 2 Comparison of characteristics and outcomes between the two groups with non-surgical management (mean ± SD)

	Group 2020 (n = 159)	Group 2019 (n = 74)	P value
Sex, male, n (%)	85, 53.5%	36, 48.6%	0.49
Age (year)	40.03 ± 15.12	40.50 ± 17.10	0.77
Disease onset time (h)	35.24 ± 54.86	39.89 ± 48.44	0.16
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, n (%)	84, 52.8%	29, 39.2%	0.05
Peritonitis, n (%)	50, 31.4%	17, 23.0%	0.18
Comorbidities, n (%)	18, 11.3%	3, 4.1%	0.07
History of appendicitis, n (%)	26, 16.4%	11, 14.9%	0.77
Fever, n (%)	107, 67.3%	53, 71.6%	0.51
WBC (109/L)	12.67 ± 4.37	11.85 ± 4.48	0.35
CRP (mg/L)	30.16 ± 48.19	28.58 ± 45.21	0.92
N%	80.49 ± 12.31	76.63 ± 12.88	0.01
NLR	10.51 ± 9.95	7.22 ± 6.33	0.02
Appendix diameter (mm)	10.13 ± 3.34	9.84 ± 2.24	0.10
Appendicolith, n (%)	53, 33.3%	21, 28.4%	0.45
Ascites in image, n (%)	30, 18.9%	16, 21.6%	0.62
Uncomplicated appendicitis, n (%)	84, 52.8%	42, 56.8%	0.58
IV antibiotics			0.40
Cephalosporin, n (%)	137, 86.2%	65, 87.8%
Others, n (%)	9, 5.7%	6, 8.1%
None, n (%)	13, 8.2%	3, 4.1%
Antibiotic treatment days (d)	4.08 ± 3.28	4.03 ± 2.63	0.85
Convert to operation, n (%)	16, 10.1%	3, 4.1%	0.12
Recurrence, n (%)	2, 1.3%	16, 21.6%	< 0.001

WBC: White blood cell count; CRP: C-reactive protein; NLR: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.

Table 3 Comparison of characteristics and outcomes between the two groups with surgical management (mean ± SD)

	Group 2020 (n = 26)	Group 2019 (n = 113)	P value
Sex, male, n (%)	10, 38.5%	47, 41.6%	0.77
Age (year)	42.08 ± 12.69	40.56 ± 14.97	0.23
Disease onset time (h)	50.73 ± 62.32	27.63 ± 21.22	0.38
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, n (%)	21, 80.8%	66, 58.4%	0.03
Peritonitis, n (%)	25, 96.2%	76, 67.3%	< 0.01
Comorbidities, n (%)	6, 23.1%	14, 12.4%	0.29
History of appendicitis, n (%)	4, 15.4%	17, 15.0%	1.00
Fever, n (%)	13, 50%	46, 40.7%	0.39
WBC (109/L)	14.92 ± 4.39	13.22 ± 3.72	0.04
CRP (mg/L)	63.35 ± 74.51	38.72 ± 58.94	0.11
N%	85.15 ± 7.28	83.01 ± 8.11	0.98
NLR (%)	12.30 ± 7.46	10.75 ± 8.66	0.58
Appendix diameter (mm)	12.29 ± 4.94	10.75 ± 2.89	0.18
Appendicolith, n (%)	12, 46.2%	47, 41.6%	0.67
Ascites in image, n (%)	13, 50%	29, 25.7%	0.02
Time from diagnosis to surgery (h)	32.44 ± 47.95	10.70 ± 8.77	< 0.01
Surgical time (min)	87.35 ± 51.68	72.75 ± 38.25	0.02
Blood loss (mL)	14.23 ± 14.74	11.30 ± 6.83	0.03
Intraoperative adhesion or ascites	24, 92.3%	76, 67.3%	0.01
Uncomplicated appendicitis, n (%)	13, 50%	78, 69%	0.07
Hospital stay (d)	5.31 ± 3.53	4.37 ± 2.19	0.31
Complications, n (%)	2, 7.7%	2, 1.8%	0.16

WBC: White blood cell count; CRP: C-reactive protein; NLR: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.