Significance of total Leucocyte Count in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children

Background: Clinical presentation of acute appendicitis in children is usually not typical and needs supportive laboratory tests. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of total leucocyte count in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children.Material Methods: This study was conducted at Paediatric Surgery Unit, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, from January 2008 to December 2008. Five hundred eighty-four children with clinically suspected acute appendicitis were included. Preoperatively total leucocyte count was estimated. Postoperativelt histopathology was performed to confirm the diagnosis.Results: Leucocyte count was raised in 468(80.1%) patients with acute appendicitis, 20(3.4%) had raised leucocyte count with normal appendix, 38(6.5%) had normal leucocyte count but inflammed appendix and in 58(9.9%) both histopathology and leucocyte count were normal.Conclusion: Raised total leucocyte count is an important diagnostic test for acute appendicitis in children