AppendicitisNCT04477824
Is Acute Appendicitis Still a Clinical Diagnosis?
An observational study of Appendicitis, run by Claus Anders Bertelsen, PhD, MD.
Trial summary
This study aims to investigate the use of preoperative diagnostic imaging before appendectomy in Denmark and whether it has changed over time during the period from 2000-15. Secondly, the study aims to investigate regional, age and gender differences in the same setting. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- Appendicitis
- What is being tested?
- Diagnostic imaging
- How many people
- 82,000 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 1 Jan 2000to 31 Jan 2016
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: All patients in Denmark with a diagnosis for appendicitis undergoing appendectomy during the same admission during the period 2000-15
Who may be able to join
- Patients with a diagnosis for appendicitis undergoing appendectomy during the same admission during the period 2000-15
Who cannot join
- None
About this study
Official title: Is Acute Appendicitis Still a Clinical Diagnosis? Use of Preoperative Diagnostic Imaging Before Appendectomy in Denmark During 2000-15.
This study aims to investigate the use of preoperative diagnostic imaging before appendectomy in Denmark and whether it has changed over time during the period from 2000-15. Secondly, the study aims to investigate regional, age and gender differences in the same setting.
Read the detailed description
Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of abdominal pain (1) and appendectomy is the most common emergency surgical procedure performed worldwide (2). During the last decades, there has been a paradigm shift in both diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis - surgical treatment has changed from open to laparoscopic appendectomy (3). Acute appendicitis has traditionally been a clinical diagnosis, but the use of preoperative diagnostic imaging has, in some countries, increased dramatically (4). The use of computed tomography (CT) before appendectomy is in the United States up to 90%, in England 13% and in Holland almost all patients undergo ultrasound and/or CT before appendectomy (1).
The use of antibiotics can be successful in the treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis verified on CT, and the use of CT has significantly lowered the negative appendectomy rate compared to clinical evaluation only (1). But the use of CT is inevitably inducing radiation and increasing lifetime risk of cancer - especially in younger patients who most frequently present with acute appendicitis (1,5). It is estimated that CT of the abdominal region can avoid 12 negative appendectomies but at the cost of one cancer death due to radiation (5). In Denmark surgery is still the only treatment for appendicitis, but how is appendicitis diagnosed? Is acute appendicitis still a clinical diagnosis?
- Conditions
- Appendicitis
- Being tested
- Diagnostic imaging
- Keywords
- Appendicitis, Appendectomy, Preoperative diagnostic imaging
- Medical subject headings
- Appendicitis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Diagnostic imagingDiagnostic test
Ultrasonography, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Annual percentage use diagnostic imaging before appendectomy
Annual percentage use of abdominal ultrasonography, abdominal computerized tomography (with or without contrast) and abdominal MRI 24 hours before appendectomy for appendicitis.
Measured: 24 hours
Secondary outcomes (3)
Differences in use of ultrasonography.
Differences in use of ultrasonography between gender, age groups divided into decades and the five Danish administrative regions.
Measured: 24 hours
Differences in use of abdominal computerized tomography (with or without contrast)
Differences in use of abdominal computerized tomography (with or without contrast) between gender, age groups divided into decades and the five Danish administrative regions.
Measured: 24 hours
Differences in use of magnetic resonance imaging
Differences in use of magnetic resonance imaging between gender, age groups divided into decades and the five Danish administrative regions.
Measured: 24 hours
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Jul 2020
- Study start1 Jan 2000
- Primary completion31 Dec 2015
- Study completion31 Jan 2016
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (10)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for AppendicitisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 82,000 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Claus Anders Bertelsen, PhD, MD
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Claus Anders Bertelsen, PhD, MD, Nordsjaellands Hospital
- Investigators
- Claus A Bertelsen, Phd, Study chair, Nordsjaellands Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04477824
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- APP-DIM
- Status last verified
- Sep 2020
- First submitted
- 15 Jul 2020
- Last updated
- 9 Sep 2020
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Rud B, Vejborg TS, Rappeport ED, Reitsma JB, Wille-Jorgensen P. Computed tomography for diagnosis of acute appendicitis in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019 Nov 19;2019(11):CD009977. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009977.pub2.
PubMed 31743429GlobalSurg Collaborative. Mortality of emergency abdominal surgery in high-, middle- and low-income countries. Br J Surg. 2016 Jul;103(8):971-988. doi: 10.1002/bjs.10151. Epub 2016 May 4.
PubMed 27145169Di Saverio S, Birindelli A, Kelly MD, Catena F, Weber DG, Sartelli M, Sugrue M, De Moya M, Gomes CA, Bhangu A, Agresta F, Moore EE, Soreide K, Griffiths E, De Castro S, Kashuk J, Kluger Y, Leppaniemi A, Ansaloni L, Andersson M, Coccolini F, Coimbra R, Gurusamy KS, Campanile FC, Biffl W, Chiara O, Moore F, Peitzman AB, Fraga GP, Costa D, Maier RV, Rizoli S, Balogh ZJ, Bendinelli C, Cirocchi R, Tonini V, Piccinini A, Tugnoli G, Jovine E, Persiani R, Biondi A, Scalea T, Stahel P, Ivatury R, Velmahos G, Andersson R. WSES Jerusalem guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of acute appendicitis. World J Emerg Surg. 2016 Jul 18;11:34. doi: 10.1186/s13017-016-0090-5. eCollection 2016.
PubMed 27437029Raja AS, Wright C, Sodickson AD, Zane RD, Schiff GD, Hanson R, Baeyens PF, Khorasani R. Negative appendectomy rate in the era of CT: an 18-year perspective. Radiology. 2010 Aug;256(2):460-5. doi: 10.1148/radiol.10091570. Epub 2010 Jun 7.
PubMed 20529988Rogers W, Hoffman J, Noori N. Harms of CT scanning prior to surgery for suspected appendicitis. Evid Based Med. 2015 Feb;20(1):3-4. doi: 10.1136/ebmed-2014-110075. Epub 2014 Nov 27.
PubMed 25429870von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, Pocock SJ, Gotzsche PC, Vandenbroucke JP; STROBE Initiative. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. Int J Surg. 2014 Dec;12(12):1495-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.07.013. Epub 2014 Jul 18.
PubMed 25046131Lynge E, Sandegaard JL, Rebolj M. The Danish National Patient Register. Scand J Public Health. 2011 Jul;39(7 Suppl):30-3. doi: 10.1177/1403494811401482.
PubMed 21775347Pedersen CB. The Danish Civil Registration System. Scand J Public Health. 2011 Jul;39(7 Suppl):22-5. doi: 10.1177/1403494810387965.
PubMed 21775345Kleif J, Thygesen LC, Gogenur I. Validity of the diagnosis of appendicitis in the Danish National Patient Register. Scand J Public Health. 2020 Feb;48(1):38-42. doi: 10.1177/1403494818761765. Epub 2018 Mar 19.
PubMed 29554842Sallinen V, Akl EA, You JJ, Agarwal A, Shoucair S, Vandvik PO, Agoritsas T, Heels-Ansdell D, Guyatt GH, Tikkinen KA. Meta-analysis of antibiotics versus appendicectomy for non-perforated acute appendicitis. Br J Surg. 2016 May;103(6):656-667. doi: 10.1002/bjs.10147. Epub 2016 Mar 17.
PubMed 26990957
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Sep 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Is Acute Appendicitis Still a Clinical Diagnosis? Use of Preoperative Diagnostic Imaging Before Appendectomy in Denmark During 2000-15.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04477824
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- APP-DIM
- Conditions
- Appendicitis
- Keywords
- Appendicitis, Appendectomy, Preoperative diagnostic imaging
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 82,000 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Claus Anders Bertelsen, PhD, MDUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jan 2000 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2015 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jan 2016 (actual)
- First posted
- 20 Jul 2020 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to investigate the use of preoperative diagnostic imaging before appendectomy in Denmark and whether it has changed over time during the period from 2000-15. Secondly, the study aims to investigate regional, age and gender differences in the same setting.
Detailed description
Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of abdominal pain (1) and appendectomy is the most common emergency surgical procedure performed worldwide (2). During the last decades, there has been a paradigm shift in both diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis - surgical treatment has changed from open to laparoscopic appendectomy (3). Acute appendicitis has traditionally been a clinical diagnosis, but the use of preoperative diagnostic imaging has, in some countries, increased dramatically (4). The use of computed tomography (CT) before appendectomy is in the United States up to 90%, in England 13% and in Holland almost all patients undergo ultrasound and/or CT before appendectomy (1).
The use of antibiotics can be successful in the treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis verified on CT, and the use of CT has significantly lowered the negative appendectomy rate compared to clinical evaluation only (1). But the use of CT is inevitably inducing radiation and increasing lifetime risk of cancer - especially in younger patients who most frequently present with acute appendicitis (1,5). It is estimated that CT of the abdominal region can avoid 12 negative appendectomies but at the cost of one cancer death due to radiation (5). In Denmark surgery is still the only treatment for appendicitis, but how is appendicitis diagnosed? Is acute appendicitis still a clinical diagnosis?
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- All patients in Denmark with a diagnosis for appendicitis undergoing appendectomy during the same admission during the period 2000-15
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Patients with a diagnosis for appendicitis undergoing appendectomy during the same admission during the period 2000-15
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- None
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic imagingUltrasonography, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging | Diagnostic test | – |
Primary outcome
Annual percentage use diagnostic imaging before appendectomy
Time frame: 24 hours
Annual percentage use of abdominal ultrasonography, abdominal computerized tomography (with or without contrast) and abdominal MRI 24 hours before appendectomy for appendicitis.
3 secondary outcomes
Differences in use of ultrasonography.
Time frame: 24 hours
Differences in use of abdominal computerized tomography (with or without contrast)
Time frame: 24 hours
Differences in use of magnetic resonance imaging
Time frame: 24 hours
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Sep 2020.
- Background: PubMed 31743429Rud B, Vejborg TS, Rappeport ED, Reitsma JB, Wille-Jorgensen P. Computed tomography for diagnosis of acute appendicitis in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019 Nov 19;2019(11):CD009977. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009977.pub2.
- Background: PubMed 27145169GlobalSurg Collaborative. Mortality of emergency abdominal surgery in high-, middle- and low-income countries. Br J Surg. 2016 Jul;103(8):971-988. doi: 10.1002/bjs.10151. Epub 2016 May 4.
- Background: PubMed 27437029Di Saverio S, Birindelli A, Kelly MD, Catena F, Weber DG, Sartelli M, Sugrue M, De Moya M, Gomes CA, Bhangu A, Agresta F, Moore EE, Soreide K, Griffiths E, De Castro S, Kashuk J, Kluger Y, Leppaniemi A, Ansaloni L, Andersson M, Coccolini F, Coimbra R, Gurusamy KS, Campanile FC, Biffl W, Chiara O, Moore F, Peitzman AB, Fraga GP, Costa D, Maier RV, Rizoli S, Balogh ZJ, Bendinelli C, Cirocchi R, Tonini V, Piccinini A, Tugnoli G, Jovine E, Persiani R, Biondi A, Scalea T, Stahel P, Ivatury R, Velmahos G, Andersson R. WSES Jerusalem guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of acute appendicitis. World J Emerg Surg. 2016 Jul 18;11:34. doi: 10.1186/s13017-016-0090-5. eCollection 2016.
- Background: PubMed 20529988Raja AS, Wright C, Sodickson AD, Zane RD, Schiff GD, Hanson R, Baeyens PF, Khorasani R. Negative appendectomy rate in the era of CT: an 18-year perspective. Radiology. 2010 Aug;256(2):460-5. doi: 10.1148/radiol.10091570. Epub 2010 Jun 7.
- Background: PubMed 25429870Rogers W, Hoffman J, Noori N. Harms of CT scanning prior to surgery for suspected appendicitis. Evid Based Med. 2015 Feb;20(1):3-4. doi: 10.1136/ebmed-2014-110075. Epub 2014 Nov 27.
- Background: PubMed 25046131von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, Pocock SJ, Gotzsche PC, Vandenbroucke JP; STROBE Initiative. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. Int J Surg. 2014 Dec;12(12):1495-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.07.013. Epub 2014 Jul 18.
- Background: PubMed 21775347Lynge E, Sandegaard JL, Rebolj M. The Danish National Patient Register. Scand J Public Health. 2011 Jul;39(7 Suppl):30-3. doi: 10.1177/1403494811401482.
- Background: PubMed 21775345Pedersen CB. The Danish Civil Registration System. Scand J Public Health. 2011 Jul;39(7 Suppl):22-5. doi: 10.1177/1403494810387965.
- Background: PubMed 29554842Kleif J, Thygesen LC, Gogenur I. Validity of the diagnosis of appendicitis in the Danish National Patient Register. Scand J Public Health. 2020 Feb;48(1):38-42. doi: 10.1177/1403494818761765. Epub 2018 Mar 19.
- Background: PubMed 26990957Sallinen V, Akl EA, You JJ, Agarwal A, Shoucair S, Vandvik PO, Agoritsas T, Heels-Ansdell D, Guyatt GH, Tikkinen KA. Meta-analysis of antibiotics versus appendicectomy for non-perforated acute appendicitis. Br J Surg. 2016 May;103(6):656-667. doi: 10.1002/bjs.10147. Epub 2016 Mar 17.
- ProtocolLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Claus A Bertelsen, Phd study chair
Nordsjaellands Hospital
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Appendicitis, run by Claus Anders Bertelsen, PhD, MD.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Sep 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Annual percentage use diagnostic imaging before appendectomy (time frame: 24 hours). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04477824, which also lists 10 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Sep 2020.