New Genetic Biomarkers to Diagnose Pediatric Appendicitis | Emergency Medicine | JAMA Pediatrics | JAMA Network

A cute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in children, with a lifetime risk estimated between 2% and 9%.1 It can be classified as simple appendicitis (SA) or perforated appendicitis (PA), also referred to as complicated appendicitis; clinically, the latter is defined in the presence of macroscopic perforation and/or 4-quadrant pus and/or intra-abdominal mass/abscess or free fecalith.2 Although the mortality risk for SA is reported as low as 0.1%, PA has a 5% mortality risk, highlighting the need for timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment.3 In this issue of JAMA Pediatrics, Dhillon et al4 aimed to identify blood-based biomarkers for use as clinical molecular diagnostics to differentiate between SA and PA in children. Appendectomy (open or laparoscopic) remains the gold standard for the treatment of acute appendicitis in children. Nonetheless, depending on the clinical scenario, different treatment modalities may be more appropriate; antibiotics have been proven to b

A cute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in children, with a lifetime risk estimated between 2% and 9%.1 It can be classified as simple appendicitis (SA) or perforated appendicitis (PA), also referred to as complicated appendicitis; clinically, the latter is defined in the presence of macroscopic perforation and/or 4-quadrant pus and/or intra-abdominal mass/abscess or free fecalith.2 Although the mortality risk for SA is reported as low as 0.1%, PA has a 5% mortality risk, highlighting the need for timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment.3 In this issue of JAMA Pediatrics,