Evaluation of the Alvarado score in acute abdominal pain.

BACKGROUND: The Alvarado score is utilized to determine the likelihood of appendicitis based on clinical signs, symptoms, and laboratory results. The goal of this study was to determine whether Alvarado scores can be used to aid in the accurate diagnosis of appendicitis.

METHODS: Alvarado score evaluations were performed on 300 patients that were referred to or presented to the emergency room with acute abdominal pain.

RESULTS: Out of the 300 patients, 85.66% had Alvarado scores of 7 or less and 14.33% had Alvarado scores greater than 7. For patients that had confirmed appendicitis, 25.7% had Alvarado scores of 7 or less, whereas 93% had Alvarado scores greater than 7. The Alvarado scoring system had poor sensitivity at 37%, and the specificity of this scoring system was high at 95%.

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that patients presenting with abdominal pain and Alvarado scores greater than 7 are more likely to have appendicitis. As such, the Alvarado scoring system may be utilized to better predict whether a patient has appendicitis. An Alvarado score that is positive for appendicitis would consist of a score greater than 7, which suggests that the patient has a 93% chance of having appendicitis. A negative Alvarado score is 7 or lower, suggesting a 26% probability of having appendicitis. In all, the Alvarado scoring system is a good rule-in test, but it does not adequately rule-out appendicitis.