Accuracy in diagnosis of acute appendicitis by comparing serum C-reactive protein measurements, Alvarado score and clinical impression of surgeons.

Objective: To compare the accuracy of a surgeon's clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis with Alvarado's predictive model and C-reactive protein (CRP) measurements.

Method: The records of 231 adult patients between 14-75 years admitted to the hospital with suspected appendicitis from August 1999 to November 2001 were studied prospectively. Serum CRP measurements (217 patients) and Alvarado scores (231 patients) were performed before operations but were not taken into account prior to the decision to perform a laparotomy to compare the surgeon's clinical diagnosis.