Abstract
THE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF C - REACTIVE PROTEIN IN DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS

This study was undertaken to evaluate the utility of CRP as a diagnostic tool among patients clinically suspected to have acute appendicitis. A total of 140 diagnosed cases of acute appendicitis were studied over a period of three month. CRP was raised in 125 cases and was normal in 15 cases. The sensitivity and specificity of CRP estimation in diagnosing appendicitis was 92.0% and 33.3 % respectively. The present study suggests that we cannot rely wholly on CRP for operative decision. Clinical judgment is still the best modality for the diagnosis and operative management of acute appendicitis. It seems wiser to use active observation, which should identify most patients with non-specific pain and reserve operation for those who need it most.