Study: Most Patients With Appendicitis Can Be Treated With Antibiotics Alone

The New York Times (6/17, Kolata, Subscription Publication) reports that research published in JAMA “provides the best evidence to date that most patients” with appendicitis “can be treated with antibiotics alone.” The research “involved 530 patients aged 18 to 60 who agreed to have their treatment — antibiotics or surgery — decided at random.”

        TIME (6/17, Osborn) reports that although “272 of the 273 appendectomy surgeries were successful, 186 of the patients treated with antibiotics did not require surgery at all.” Patients “in the antibiotic group who did ultimately require surgery during a one-year follow-up period (70 patients) showed no signs of complications associated with delaying the procedure.”

        CNN (6/17, Storrs) reports that prior research has “compared appendectomy with antibiotics, but most of them have relied on clinical examination to diagnose uncomplicated appendicitis.” The new “study relied on CT scans, which are a more accurate way to diagnose the disease and to make sure only patients with simple cases are studied...said” lead author Dr. Paulina Salminen.HealthDay (6/17, Reinberg) and Medical Daily (6/17, Scutti) also cover the story.