The Impact of a Diagnostic Strategy for Acute Appendicitis in Children With Acute Abdominal Pain in Primary Care

Launched by UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER GRONINGEN · Dec 31, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how a new way of diagnosing acute appendicitis (AA) in children can help doctors make better decisions in primary care. Acute appendicitis is when the appendix, a small organ in the body, becomes inflamed and can cause severe pain. It can be tricky to tell if a child has appendicitis, especially since other issues like constipation or stomach viruses can cause similar symptoms. This trial will compare a new diagnostic strategy, which includes a special test for inflammation, to the usual care that doctors provide when children come in with stomach pain.

Children aged 4 to 18 years who have had stomach pain for less than a week and see their doctor might be eligible to participate. If enrolled, they can expect their doctor to use a specific method to assess their condition, which may include a quick test to check for inflammation. The goal is to see if this new approach helps reduce unnecessary referrals to specialists while ensuring that those who do have appendicitis are correctly identified and treated. It's important to note that children with a history of having their appendix removed or those who are pregnant are not eligible for this study.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion criteria:
• • - Children aged 4 to 18 years with acute abdominal pain (onset ≤ 7 days) who present at the GP.
• Exclusion criteria:
• • A history of appendectomy
• • Current pregnancy
• • Traumatic cause of abdominal pain