Overview of the Role of Hemogram Parameters in Determining the Severity of Abdominal Pain

Abstract

Objective: Acute abdomen is a dangerous condition that necessitates attentive care. The etiology of acute abdomen is quite complex and alternative diagnostic methods are very valuable as it may indicate life-threatening conditions. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of physical examination and laboratory indicators in relation to surgical and medical treatment options in the emergency department (ED). Methods: This single-center retrospective study was conducted on 735 patients aged be-tween 18 and 90 years admitted to the ED of our hospital between January 01, 2019, and January 01, 2020. Patients’ demographics (age and gender), hospitalization data, presence of rebound and involuntary guarding, differential diagnosis, treatment approach (medical or surgical treatment), and laboratory parameters were analyzed. Results: The mean age of all patients was 45.5±18.6 years and male patients were dominant (51.1%). The most common diagnoses were acute appendicitis, acute gastroenteritis, and acute cholecystitis, respectively. Patients who had surgical treatment were significantly younger than those who received medical treatment (p<0.001). Rebound tenderness and involuntary guarding were more pronounced in the patients who received medical treat-ment. Inflammatory laboratory parameters were higher in patients who received surgical treatment. The presence of rebound tenderness, decreased age, elevated leukocyte, and neutrophil levels, as well as decreased red cell distribution width showed significant associations in favor of surgical treatment. Conclusion: Results suggest that the presence of rebound tenderness, elevated neutrophil, and decreased age may be predictive for the treatment modality in patients with acute abdomen. ABSTRACT