ABSTRACT

Objective: Appendicitis, the most common cause of abdominal pain requiring surgery in children, refers to inflammation of the vermiform appendix. The aetiology of appendicitis is multifactorial, although it is affected by several precursor factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether allergic diseases cause a disposition to appendicitis.

Material and methods: One hundred and sixteen patients operated on for acute appendicitis and with diagnosis of acute appendicitis confirmed pathologically, and a control group of 124 individuals of similar ages and genders, were enrolled. The level of inflammation of appendiceal material in cases diagnosed with acute appendicitis was classified pathologically. Allergic sensitization was demonstrated using the skin prick test.

Results: A significant difference was determined between the patient and control groups in terms of skin prick positivity (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: While there are several known factors in acute appendicitis, the cause cannot be identified in some cases. We think that atopy may also be a risk factor in the development of acute appendicitis.