Table 2.
Characteristics of patients with high clinical suspicion for appendicitis based on equivocal or unequivocal right lower quadrant ultrasounds in 2014
| Characteristic | Overall (N = 825) | Equivocal US (N = 530) | Unequivocal US (N = 295) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race | ||||
| White | 516 (62.6%) | 334 (63.0%) | 182 (61.7%) | 0.884 |
| Black | 214 (25.9%) | 137 (25.9%) | 77 (26.1%) | |
| Other | 95 (11.5%) | 59 (11.1%) | 36 (12.2%) | |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 361 (36.8%) | 193 (36.4%) | 168 (57.0%) | <0.001* |
| Female | 464 (56.2%) | 337 (63.6%) | 127 (43.0%) | |
| Age, mean ± sd | 11.4 ± 3.6 | 11.7 ± 3.7 | 10.8 ± 3.4 | 0.001* |
| PAS Score, mean ± sd | 6.5 ± 1.8 | 6.2 ± 1.8 | 6.9 ± 1.7 | <0.001* |
| Imaging Pathway | ||||
| US with CT | 137 (16.6%) | 117 (22.1%) | 20 (6.8%) | <0.001* |
| US only | 688 (83.4%) | 413 (77.9%) | 275 (93.2%) | |
CT – computed tomography, PAS – pediatric appendicitis score, sd = standard deviation, US - ultrasound