Abstract
Background/Purpose The aim of the study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of interleukin-6 (IL-6)
level and neutrophil cluster of differentiation 64 (CD64) expression in diagnosis
of acute appendicitis (AA).
Methods A prospective controlled trail was performed. Children who were hospitalized with
a diagnosis of right lower quadrant pain were our cohort. Serum samples for white
blood cell, C-reactive protein (CRP), leukocyte CD64 expression, and IL-6 were obtained
from the patients just after their admission. Operation was performed if appendicitis
seemed probable, others were observed actively. Patients who had noncomplicated appendicitis
were Group 1, patients who had complicated appendicitis were Group 2, and patients
who had discharged after observation without operation with a diagnosis of nonspecific
abdominal pain and had negative appendectomy without another surgical disease were
Group 3.
Results In this study, 49 patients were enrolled. CRP and CD64 levels were found higher in
Group 2. IL-6 levels were found to be lower in Group 3 than Groups 1 and 2.
Conclusions There was a difference between Group 2 and the other groups about CD64 levels. The
CRP level and expression of leukocyte CD64 level did not effectively predict the diagnosis
of noncomplicated appendicitis, but it predicted well the patients with complicated
appendicitis. However, IL-6 levels are statistically significantly different between
Group 3 and Groups 1 and 2. According to this result, IL-6 levels predicted well the
patient with appendicitis. Applying additional diagnostic methods such as IL-6 levels
seems to be helpful in reducing the numbers of false-positive diagnosis of AA.
Keywords
appendicitis - interleukin-6 - CD64 antigens - C-reactive protein - child
