Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The Worldwide Epidemiology of Acute Appendicitis: An Analysis of the Global Health Data Exchange Dataset

  • Original Scientific Report
  • Published:
World Journal of Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

This study aims to describe the worldwide epidemiology and changing disease trends of acute appendicitis (AA).

Methods

Epidemiological data on the incidence of AA and deaths were collected from the Global Health Data Exchange repository from 1990 to 2019. Data were stratified by age, sex and Socio-Demographic Index (SDI).

Results

In 2019, there were an estimated 17.7 million cases (incidence 228/100,000) with over 33,400 deaths (0.43/100,000). Both the absolute number and the incidence had increased from 1990 to 2019 (+ 38.8% and + 11.4%, respectively). The number of deaths and deaths per 100,000 declined during this period (− 21.8% and − 46.2%, respectively). These trends were largely similar in all 5 SDI groups. There was a significant difference in the incidence of AA between the SDI groups, with low SDI group having the lowest and high SDI group having the highest. The high SDI group had the lowest mortality rate (Kruskall–Wallis test, p < 0.001). The peak incidence was in the 15–19-year age group. The mortality rate increased exponentially from the third decade of life.

Conclusions

The mortality rate of AA is declining worldwide, while the incidence is increasing. The peak incidence is in the 15–19-year group.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The dataset is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

References

  1. Ceresoli M et al (2016) Acute appendicitis: Epidemiology, treatment and outcomes- analysis of 16544 consecutive cases. World J Gastrointest Surg 8(10):693. https://doi.org/10.4240/wjgs.v8.i10.693

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Bhangu A et al (2015) Acute appendicitis: modern understanding of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management. The Lancet 386(10000):1278–1287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Buckius MT et al (2012) Changing Epidemiology of Acute Appendicitis in the United States: Study Period 1993–2008. J Surg Res 175(2):185–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Ferris M, et al (2017) The Global Incidence of Appendicitis: A Systematic Review of Population-based Studies. Annals of Surgery 266(2)

  5. Davies Glenn M, Dasbach Erik J, Teutsch Steven (2004) The Burden of Appendicitis-Related Hospitalizations in the United States in 1997. Surgical Infections 5(2):160–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Evaluation., I.f.H.M.a., Global Health Data Exchange, I.f.H.M.a. Evaluation., Editor. 2020

  7. Vos T et al (2020) Global burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2019. The Lancet 396(10258):1204–1222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Lin K-B et al (2016) Epidemiology and socioeconomic features of appendicitis in Taiwan: a 12-year population-based study. World J Emerg Surg 10(1):1–3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-015-0036-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Coward S et al (2016) Incidence of Appendicitis over Time: A Comparative Analysis of an Administrative Healthcare Database and a Pathology-Proven Appendicitis Registry. PLoS ONE 11(11):e0165161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Oguntola A, Adeoti M, Oyemolade T (2010) Appendicitis: Trends in incidence, age, sex, and seasonal variations in South-Western Nigeria. Ann Afr Med 9(4):213

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Papadopoulos AA et al (2008) Dramatic decline of acute appendicitis in greece over 30 years: Index of Improvement of socioeconomic conditions or diagnostic aids? Dig Dis 26(1):80–84

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Kang JY et al (2003) Decline in admission rates for acute appendicitis in England. Br J Surg 90(12):1586–1592. https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs.4363

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Goldacre MJ et al (2011) Trends in mortality from appendicitis and from gallstone disease in English populations, 1979–2006: study of multiple-cause coding of deaths. Postgrad Med J 87(1026):245–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Piri SM et al (2020) Trend of appendicitis mortality at national and provincial levels in iran from 1990 to 2015. Arch Iran Med 23(5):302–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Andersson RE (2013) Short and long-term mortality after appendectomy in Sweden 1987 to 2006 influence of appendectomy diagnosis, sex, age, co-morbidity, surgical method, hospital volume, and time period a national population-based cohort study. World J Surg 37(5):974–981. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-012-1856-x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Kotaluoto S et al (2017) Mortality related to appendectomy; a population based analysis over two decades in Finland. World J Surg 41(1):64–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-016-3688-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Bregendahl S et al (2013) Risk of complications and 30-day mortality after laparoscopic and open appendectomy in a Danish region, 1998–2007; a population-based study of 18,426 patients. Polish J Surg 7(85):395–400

    Google Scholar 

  18. Al-Omran M, Mamdani M, Mcleod RS (2003) Epidemiologic features of acute appendicitis in Ontario Canada Canadian journal of surgery. J Canadien de Chirurgie 46(4):263–268

    Google Scholar 

  19. Blomqvist PG et al (2001) Mortality after appendectomy in Sweden, 1987–1996. Ann Surg 233(4):455–460. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000658-200104000-00001

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Lee JFY, Leow CK, Lau WY (2000) Appendicitis In The Elderly. Aust N Z J Surg 70(8):593–596. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1622.2000.01905.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Andersson MN, Andersson RE (2011) Causes of short-term mortality after appendectomy: a population-based case-controlled study. Ann Surg 254(1):103–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Storm-Dickerson TL, Horattas MC (2003) What have we learned over the past 20 years about appendicitis in the elderly? Am J Surg 185(3):198–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9610(02)01390-9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Dakshitha P. Wickramasinghe, Chrisjit Xavier & Dharmabandhu N. Samarasekera

Authors
  1. Dakshitha P. Wickramasinghe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chrisjit Xavier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dharmabandhu N. Samarasekera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

DW and DNS designed the study. DW and CX performed the data collection. All authors contributed to the analysis and drafting of the manuscript and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dakshitha P. Wickramasinghe.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 21 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wickramasinghe, D.P., Xavier, C. & Samarasekera, D.N. The Worldwide Epidemiology of Acute Appendicitis: An Analysis of the Global Health Data Exchange Dataset. World J Surg 45, 1999–2008 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-021-06077-5

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-021-06077-5

Search

Navigation