The effect of climate and air pollution on the development of complicated appendicitis

Abstract

<b>Aim:</b> The aim of this study was to examine whether there is a relationship between complicated appendicitis and seasons, weekends, and air pollution. </br></br> <b> Materials and methods:</b> Patients who had undergone appendectomy in the last three years due to acute appendicitis were filtered from the database. Patients’ demographic features, date of the surgery, pathology reports, data on atmospheric temperatures, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, and air pollution on the date of the surgery were collected and compared between complicated and non-complicated appendicitis groups. </br></br> <b>Results:</b> Out of 360 patients, 238 were men. The median age was 39 years for women and 29 years for men. Complicated appendicitis was seen in 78 (21.7%) patients, and the incidence rates were similar between the sexes (p = 0.69); this rate increased with increasing age (p = 0.001). The day of the week in which the surgery was performed (p = 0.55) and weekdays versus weekends (p = 0.16) did not change the complicated appendicitis incidence rate. This rate was similar among seasons (p = 0.44), temperature (p = 0.81), humidity (p = 0.62), and atmospheric pressure (p = 0.95). There was no difference between the groups for all noxious gases or PM2.5 levels, but for PM10 levels there was a significant difference (p = 0.045). In multivariate analysis, age (p = 0.001) and PM10 air pollution (p = 0.045) significantly affected the development of complicated appendicitis. </br></br> <b>Conclusions:</b> Air pollution of PM10 may have a real effect on the incidence of complicated appendicitis.