Introduction:

Acute appendicitis is more frequent in males and affects pediatric and adolescent patients aged 10 to 20 years. It is caused by obstruction of the appendiceal lumen due to fecaliths, lymphoid follicle hyperplasia, parasites, or primary carcinomas. In children, there is a higher risk of complications, because the symptoms are very nonspecific.

Objectives:

To determine the risk factors associated with complicated acute appendicitis in pediatric patients at the Hospital de Emergencias Pediátricas for the period 2019-2021.

Methods:

Analytical, observational, retrospective case-control study through data collection from medical records and operative reports.

Results:

An association was found between leukocytosis (aOR=2.79, 95% CI: 1.30-6.01, p=0.008), delay in presenting to emergency greater than 24 hours (aOR=1.72, 95% CI: 1.21-2.45, p=0.003), and the time from the appearance of the first symptom to the surgical act greater than 49 hours (aOR=3.01, 95 % CI: 1.54-5.93, p=0.001) with the possibility of developing complicated acute appendicitis (CAA).

Conclusions:

Factors related to developing CAA include a high white blood cell count, a delay in emergency presentation greater than 24 hours, and the time from the appearance of the first symptom to the surgical act between 24 to 48 hours or greater than 49 hours.

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