Liver function test as a diagnostic and prognostic indicator for acute appendicitis and its severity.

Introduction: Acute appendicitis remains one of the most common surgical emergencies, accounting for 1% of all emergency operations. The diagnosis can at times be very difficult, so any test which can contribute towards the diagnosis is very valuable. Even though USG, MRI and CT scan of abdomen and blood tests can confirm the diagnosis but not its severity. Aim: The aim of this study is to establish the role of deranged liver function tests as a new diagnostic tool and also to predict gangrenous and ruptured appendicitis which would serve the purpose of decreasing the mortality and morbidity in these patients. Methods: Ninety patients of different age groups from 8 to 70 years of both sexes were included in this study over a span of 14 months. They were confirmed by USG, routine blood examination and clinical findings. LFT were performed, studied and compared with all patients of acute appendicitis. Results: Out of 90 patients, hyperbilirubinemia was observed in 45 cases (50%). There was an increase in other liver enzymes like SGOT in 18 patients (20%), SGPT in 3 patients (2.7%), and Alkaline Phosphatase in 10 patients (9%). However, serum albumin was found to be normal in all patients. GGT increase is seen in 6 patients (9.23%). Specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value and p value were highly significant (p<0.001) in complicated appendicitis. Conclusion: The elevated parameters of LFT in patients of complicated appendicitis (ruptured, gangrenous) carried considerable prognostic significance. Hence LFT can be used as a diagnostic and prognostic indicator in patients of acute appendicitis, thus avoiding unnecessary morbidity and mortality in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]