The Alvarado Score is a clinical scoring system used to assess the likelihood of appendicitis in patients presenting with right lower quadrant abdominal pain. It was developed by Dr. Alfredo Alvarado in 1986. The score is calculated based on eight clinical features, each assigned a certain number of points. These features include symptoms, physical examination findings, and laboratory results.
The Alvarado Score is particularly useful in the emergency department setting, helping clinicians decide whether a patient requires surgical consultation, further diagnostic imaging, or can be safely discharged. It is applicable to all age groups, but it should be used with caution in pregnant women due to the potential for atypical presentations of appendicitis in this population.
The score is not recommended for use in patients with known gastrointestinal diseases, previous abdominal surgeries, or other conditions that may mimic the symptoms of appendicitis, as these could potentially skew the results.
Reference
A Alvarado. A practical score for the early diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Ann Emerg Med. 1986 May;15(5):557-64.
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