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Complicated appendicitis less common in kids with allergies
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Children who have an immunoglobulin E-mediated allergy are less likely to have complicated appendicitis than children without allergies, with less time spent in the hospital following surgery, according to findings published in JAMA Pediatrics.
“In a study of all the children who underwent surgery for appendicitis in Lund, Sweden, over the span of a decade, we found that the most common form of allergy, such as allergy to pollen and animal fur, was associated with a three times lower risk of developing complicated appendicitis,” Martin Salö, MD, PhD, a specialist physician in the department of pediatric surgery at the Skåne University Hospital’s Children’s Hospital in Lund, Sweden, said in a press release. “The lower risk remained when we adjusted for other parameters known to increase the risk of serious appendicitis, such as younger age and long-lasting symptoms.”
To determine whether children with immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergies have a decreased risk of complicated appendicitis with gangrene or perforation, Salö conducted a retrospective cohort study that included children aged younger than 15 years. Patients were consecutive and stratified between those with IgE-mediated allergies and those without these allergies.
IgE-mediated allergies were observed in 16.9% (n = 102 of 605) of the children included in the study. Over three-fourths had no allergies (83.1%). Complicated appendicitis was more prevalent among children without allergies (n = 236; 46.9%) when compared with children with an IgE-mediated allergy (n = 20; 19.6%).
Furthermore, children with an IgE-mediated allergy spent 1 to 2 days in the hospital compared with 1 to 5 days in children without allergies following surgery for appendicitis.
Allergies did not significantly change the prevalence of complicated appendicitis when the researchers modified for sex, seasonal antigenic exposure or allergy medication use.
“The outcome of the study supports the theory that complicated appendicitis has a different immunological development compared to uncomplicated appendicitis,” Salö said. “The results also provide clues that we hope can lead to the development of new diagnostic aids such as blood tests.” – by Katherine Bortz
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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