The Ewha Medical Journal

[English]

Air pollution, including PM₁₀, as a potential risk factor for the development of appendicitis in Korea: a case-crossover study: Yongho Jee, Jin Hoon Nam, Jongmin Oh, Gyoung Tae Noh, Eunhee Ha, Ryung Ah Lee; Ewha Med J 2024;47(3):e38. Published online July 31, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2024.e38

Abstract
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Objectives: Interest in the association between particulate air pollution and appendicitis risk has been increasing in recent years, and previous studies have suggested a link between particulate matter ≤10 μm in diameter (PM₁₀) and appendicitis. However, robust evidence is currently lacking. This study explored the association between short-term PM₁₀ exposure and appendicitis using data from Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Seoul, Korea, between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2018.

Methods: We employed a time-stratified case-crossover design using data from 6,526 appendicitis patients taken from the hospital’s electronic medical records system. We analyzed the data using a conditional logistic regression model adjusted for daily mean temperature and relative humidity. The effect size of PM₁₀ was estimated in terms of each 10 μm/m³ increase in PM₁₀ concentration. Sex, season, and age group were analyzed as subgroups.

Results: Appendicitis patients had been exposed to higher levels of PM₁₀ concentrations 3 days (OR 1.045, 95% CI : 1.007–1.084) and 7 days (OR, 1.053; 95% CI, 1.005–1.103) before hospital admission. The case-crossover analysis stratified by sex, age, and season showed that the male sex, being aged under 10, and the cold season were associated with a significantly stronger association between appendicitis and PM₁₀ concentrations.

Conclusion: Our study found that PM₁₀ concentrations were associated with appendicitis in boys aged under 10. The cold season was also a risk factor. Further research with a larger sample size and with other pollutants is required to clarify the association between PM₁₀ and appendicitis.

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Unresolved policy on the new placement of 2,000 entrants at Korean medical schools and this issue of Ewha Medical Journal
Sun Huh
The Ewha Medical Journal.2024;[Epub] CrossRef

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[English]

Radiologic Findings of Acute Appendicitis during First Two Years of Life: Yookyung Kim, Jeonghyun Koo, Jeong Soo Suh, Chungsik Rhee; Ihwa Ŭidae chi 1997;20(1):95-100. Published online July 24, 2015; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.1997.20.1.95

Abstract
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Purpose

Acute appendicitis is very rare in infancy and early childhood. Delayed diagnosis of appendicitis may result in catastrophic outcome with perforation. We performed a retrospective analysis of clinical and radiologic findings of acute appendicitis occurring in the first 2 years of life.

Material and Methods

Nine patients of acute appendicitis who were are less than two years of age proved by surgery and pathology were analyzed in terms of clinical symptoms and signs, and findings on preoperative plain abdominal roentgenography(9 cases), barium or gastrografin enema(6 cases), ultrasonography(8 cases) and abdominal CT scan(1 case).

Results

All patients presented with nonspecific clinical symptoms and signs, such as vomiting and fever. All were complicated with perforation. Six were associated with periappendiceal abscess, and four with appendicolith. Plain abdominal roentgenogram showed generalized paralytic ileus and increased density on right lower quadrant in all cases, and diffuse for right lower abdominal wall bulging in some cases. Most cases of perforated appendicities and periappendiceal abscess were diagnosed by ultrasound and some cases by contrast enema or abdominal CT scan.

Conclusion

When the patients less than 2 years of age have nonspecific acute abdominal symptom with the roentgenographic findings of aggravating ileus and haziness in the right lower abdomen, ultrasonography might be considered as a helpful diagnostic tool for the early diagnosis of appendicitis. CT and contrast enema also might be helpful.

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[English]

Actinomycosis Presented as Acute Appendicitis: Soo Kyung Lim, Hee Jung Choi, Hyo Moon Son, Yoon-Ii Choi, Min-Sun Cho; Ewha Med J 2014;37(Suppl):S15-S18. Published online December 24, 2014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2014.37.S.S15

Abstract

Actinomycosis causes a chronic suppurative, granulomatous disease which is characterized by extensive abscess formation, and sulfur granule formation. Actinomycosis may present different clinical forms: cervicofacial, thoracic, abdominal and cerebral actinomycosis. The diagnosis can only be made after surgery. In general, patients with abdominal actinomycosis have undergone abdominal surgery. We report four cases of primary appendiceal actinomycosis presenting as acute appendicitis without history of abdomen surgery.

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[English]

A Case of Acute Appendicitis Diagnosed during Colonoscopy: Jae Jung Park, Ki Nam Shim, In Seon Kim, Jin Kyeong Park, Kyung Jong Lee, Jae Beom Lee, Jung Yoon Yoon, Hye Sung Won, In Jeong Cho; Ihwa Ŭidae chi 2007;30(2):97-100. Published online September 30, 2007; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2007.30.2.97

Abstract
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Acute appendicitis is the one of the most common operative disease in general surgery following by acute cholecystitis and intestinal obstruction, and most of the acute appendicitis is diagnosed at the emergency room.

Especially, because the number of patient who present atypical symptoms of acute appendicitis increases, it is hard to be diagnosed as acute appendicitis and it is often misdiagnosed as other disease.

We report one case of acute appendicitis diagnosed by colonoscopy performed to evaluate for atypical abdominal pain.