Table III.
Univariate analysis for rate of postoperative sepsis after appendectomy
| No postoperative sepsis | Postoperative sepsis | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | 221,073 | 2,141 | |
| Procedure type (%) | <.001 | ||
| Appendectomy (44,950) | 18,078 (8.2) | 282 (13.2) | |
| Appendectomy for ruptured appendix (44,960) | 3,259 (1.5) | 220 (10.3) | |
| Laparoscopic appendectomy (44,970) | 199,479 (90.2) | 1,631 (76.2) | |
| Unlisted laparoscopy procedure, appendix (44,979) | 257 (0.1) | 8 (0.4) | |
| Age (mean, SD) | 39.75 (16.30) | 48.09 (18.41) | <.001 |
| BMI (kg/m2; mean, SD) | 28.58 (6.69) | 29.82 (7.24) | <.001 |
| Female (%) | 108,736 (49.2) | 884 (41.3) | <.001 |
| Race | <.001 | ||
| Asian | 10,140 (5.9) | 69 (4.2) | |
| Black | 15,723 (9.1) | 218 (13.2) | |
| Other | 2,401 (1.4) | 17 (1.0) | |
| White | 144,911 (83.7) | 1,349 (81.6) | |
| Hispanic | 27,804 (15.2) | 252 (14.7) | .568 |
| Comorbidities | |||
| Smoking (%) | 40,486 (18.3) | 429 (20.0) | .043 |
| Noninsulin dependent diabetes (%) | 6,029 (2.7) | 124 (5.8) | <.001 |
| Insulin dependent diabetes (%) | 3,873 (1.8) | 106 (5.0) | <.001 |
| COPD (%) | 1,995 (0.9) | 60 (2.8) | <.001 |
| Ascites (%) | 426 (0.2) | 9 (0.4) | .033 |
| CHF (%) | 272 (0.1) | 9 (0.4) | <.001 |
| Hypertension (%) | 35,669 (16.1) | 642 (30.0) | <.001 |
| Renal failure (%) | 125 (0.1) | 7 (0.3) | <.001 |
| Dialysis (%) | 376 (0.2) | 27 (1.3) | <.001 |
| Disseminated cancer (%) | 498 (0.2) | 21 (1.0) | <.001 |
| Steroid use (%) | 2,390 (1.1) | 55 (2.6) | <.001 |
| Weight loss (%) | 405 (0.2) | 13 (0.6) | <.001 |
| Bleeding disorder (%) | 3,702 (1.7) | 117 (5.5) | <.001 |
| Transfusion ≥1 units packed red cells within 48 hours preoperatively (%) | 159 (0.1) | 3 (0.1) | .445 |
| Preoperative laboratory values | |||
| Sodium (mean, SD) | 138.34 (2.72) | 137.37 (3.16) | <.001 |
| BUN (mean, SD) | 12.78 (5.82) | 15.10 (10.42) | <.001 |
| Creatinine (mean, SD) | 0.88 (0.46) | 1.06 (1.01) | <.001 |
| Albumin (mean, SD) | 4.19 (0.49) | 3.98 (0.59) | <.001 |
| Bilirubin (mean, SD) | 0.79 (0.62) | 0.89 (0.75) | <.001 |
| SGOT (mean, SD) | 24.47 (19.87) | 25.23 (24.04) | .079 |
| Alkaline phosphatase (mean, SD) | 75.25 (28.36) | 80.57 (34.48) | <.001 |
| White blood cell count (mean, SD) | 11.68 (4.26) | 12.78 (4.86) | <.001 |
| Hematocrit (mean, SD) | 41.09 (4.46) | 40.68 (5.19) | <.001 |
| Platelet (mean, SD) | 237.91 (64.34) | 240.09 (73.73) | .12 |
| Days from admission to operation (mean, SD) | 0.40 (6.79) | 0.47 (4.48) | .604 |
| 30-d mortality (%) | 99 (0.0) | 55 (2.6) | <.001 |
| Superficial incisional surgical site infection (%) | 2195 (1.0) | 99 (4.6) | <.001 |
| Deep incisional surgical site infection (%) | 378 (0.2) | 61 (2.8) | <.001 |
| Organ space surgical site infection (%) | 2192 (1.0) | 618 (28.9) | <.001 |
| C.diff infection (%) | 166 (0.2) | 24 (2.9) | <.001 |
| Perforated (CPT = 44960) (%) | 3,259 (1.5) | 220 (10.3) | <.001 |
| Pneumonia (%) | 387 (0.2) | 114 (5.3) | <.001 |
| Urinary infection (%) | 902 (0.4) | 48 (2.2) | <.001 |
BMI, body mass index; CPT, Current Procedural Terminology; SD, standard deviation; SGOT, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase.