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Swedish national guidelines for diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis in adults and children

Salö, Martin LU ; Tiselius, Catarina ; Rosemar, Anders ; Öst, Elin ; Sohlberg, Sara and Andersson, Roland E. (2025) In BJS Open 9(2).
Abstract

Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdominal pain. Differences in the management of this large group of patients has important consequences for the patients and the healthcare system. Controversies regarding the understanding of the natural course of the disease, the utility of new diagnostic methods, and alternative treatments have lead to large variations in practice patterns between centres. These national guidelines present evidence-based recommendations aiming at a uniform, safe and cost-efficient management of this large group of patients. Method: A working group of six experts with broad clinical and research experience was formed. Additional expertise from outside was consulted during the... (More)

Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdominal pain. Differences in the management of this large group of patients has important consequences for the patients and the healthcare system. Controversies regarding the understanding of the natural course of the disease, the utility of new diagnostic methods, and alternative treatments have lead to large variations in practice patterns between centres. These national guidelines present evidence-based recommendations aiming at a uniform, safe and cost-efficient management of this large group of patients. Method: A working group of six experts with broad clinical and research experience was formed. Additional expertise from outside was consulted during the process. A national survey revealed significant variations in the management of patients with suspicion of appendicitis. The evidence provided in published guidelines and reviews were extracted and systematically graded, according to the GRADE methodology. This was supplemented by additional more recent and more directed search of the literature. Patients treated for appendicitis were involved through interviews. The guidelines were reviewed by external experts before the final version was determined. Results: The guidelines cover an extensive number of issues: pathology, epidemiology, aetiology, natural history, clinical and laboratory diagnosis, diagnostic scoring systems, diagnostic imaging, treatment, nursing care, follow-up, quality registers and quality indicators, among others. Special considerations related to children and pregnant women are covered. Conclusion: These national guidelines present an extensive and thorough review of the current knowledge base related to appendicitis, and provide up-to-date evidence-based recommendations for the management of this large group of patients.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
BJS Open
volume
9
issue
2
article number
zrae165
publisher
Wiley
external identifiers
  • scopus:105003183349
  • pmid:40203150
ISSN
2474-9842
DOI
10.1093/bjsopen/zrae165
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
54029711-52bd-4c8f-b2a7-c801d8dbd90f
date added to LUP
2025-08-12 11:54:24
date last changed
2025-08-13 03:00:10
@article{54029711-52bd-4c8f-b2a7-c801d8dbd90f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdominal pain. Differences in the management of this large group of patients has important consequences for the patients and the healthcare system. Controversies regarding the understanding of the natural course of the disease, the utility of new diagnostic methods, and alternative treatments have lead to large variations in practice patterns between centres. These national guidelines present evidence-based recommendations aiming at a uniform, safe and cost-efficient management of this large group of patients. Method: A working group of six experts with broad clinical and research experience was formed. Additional expertise from outside was consulted during the process. A national survey revealed significant variations in the management of patients with suspicion of appendicitis. The evidence provided in published guidelines and reviews were extracted and systematically graded, according to the GRADE methodology. This was supplemented by additional more recent and more directed search of the literature. Patients treated for appendicitis were involved through interviews. The guidelines were reviewed by external experts before the final version was determined. Results: The guidelines cover an extensive number of issues: pathology, epidemiology, aetiology, natural history, clinical and laboratory diagnosis, diagnostic scoring systems, diagnostic imaging, treatment, nursing care, follow-up, quality registers and quality indicators, among others. Special considerations related to children and pregnant women are covered. Conclusion: These national guidelines present an extensive and thorough review of the current knowledge base related to appendicitis, and provide up-to-date evidence-based recommendations for the management of this large group of patients.</p>}},
  author       = {{Salö, Martin and Tiselius, Catarina and Rosemar, Anders and Öst, Elin and Sohlberg, Sara and Andersson, Roland E.}},
  issn         = {{2474-9842}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley}},
  series       = {{BJS Open}},
  title        = {{Swedish national guidelines for diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis in adults and children}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bjsopen/zrae165}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/bjsopen/zrae165}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}