ASSOCIATION OF SOCIOECONOMIC STRATA WITH FECOLITH IN ACUTE APPENDICITIS

Fecolith in Acute Appendicitis

Abstract

Objective: To determine the association of socioeconomic strata with fecolith in acute appendicitis.
Study Design: Case control study
Setting and Duration of Study: Department of Surgery Combined Military Hospital and the Military Hospital Rawalpindi, Six months from Jan 2008 to July 2008.
Patients and methods: 80 patients were included in study. Forty were from high social class and 40 from low social class. History and examination of each patient were noted, including monthly income. Appendicectomy was performed under general anesthesia. Each resected specimen was examined for presence of fecolith and sent for histopathological examination.
Results: A total of 80 patients fulfilled the criteria of the study. Out of these 40 patients belonged to high social class and 40 patients belonged to low social class. Both the groups were comparable with respect to age (p = 0.435) and gender (p = 0.104) (Table-1 and 2). On naked eye examination fecolith was present in 20 (50%) patients of high social class and 9 (22.5%) patients of low social class (p=0.011). Odds ratio calculated was 1.759.