Appendicite acuta in età pediatrica: livello di acido 5-idrossindolacetico urinario per la diagnosi precoce

Background: Acute appendicitis is the most common abdominal emergency also in childhood. There is no reliable single laboratory marker that we can use to detect early inflammation of the appendix. The appendix contains serotoning-producing cells. During the inflammation process serotonin is released and converted to 5-HIAA (5 hydroxy indole acetic acid). Methods: urinary 5-HIAA was measured by HPLC in the spot urine of 99 children, 45 female (mean age 129 ± 31 months) and 54 male (mean age117 ± 27 months), who present acute abdominal pain suspected to be acute appendicitis, in the Department of Pediatric Surgery of Verona. Conclusion: spot urine 5-HIAA determination may be a practical and non-invasive method in the early diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Clinical studies are necessary for further information about this test.