Modified Alvarado score for acute appendicitis in overweight patients

OBJECTIVE: To find out the efficacy of Modified Alvarado (MA) scoring system in diagnosis of acute appendicitis in the overweight patients.

METHODS: All the patients with suspected acute appendicitis admitted in the surgical department at King Fahad Hospital, Hofuf, Al-Hassa, during the period from September 2004 to December 2006 were included in the study. Patients with score of 7 or more of modified Alvarado score were included, patients with score of 6 or less were excluded. All patients underwent diagnostic laparoscopy, and the diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination.

RESULTS: There was total of 228 patients. Twenty -four percent were overweight and 12% patients were obese. Sixty percent of the patients had confirmed diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

CONCLUSION: Modified Alvarado scoring system is an easy method for diagnosis for acute appendicitis. It can be used as complementary aid for supporting the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in overweight and obese patients.