Purpose: This is a retrospective single-institution study performed to compare the rate of unnecessary operations in pregnant women with suspected acute appendicitis with and without the use of MRI. Methods: The study subjects were all pregnant women with suspected acute appendicitis admitted to a tertiary institution from January 2012 to December 2019. If acute appendicitis was not excluded clinically and by ultrasound (US), laparoscopies were performed until May 2017 (US-only group). MRI was added as a diagnostic tool when US was inconclusive from May 2017 (US + MRI group). Surgery was considered unnecessary when no inflamed appendix was found. The rate of unnecessary surgery, postoperative complications, length of stay were analyzed. Results: Seventy-six women were included in the study; 38 women in the US-only group and 38 women in the US + MRI group. There were no differences in admission characteristics between the groups. One of 38 women (2.6%) underwent unnecessary surgery in the US + MRI group vs. 10 of 38 (26.3%) in the US-only group (P = 0.007). The patients in the US + MRI group were significantly less likely to undergo a diagnostic operation than in the US-only group (5.26% vs. 55.3%, respectively; P < 0.001) and their hospital stay was significantly shorter (0.74 ± 1.64 days vs. 3.7 ± 3.0 days, respectively; P < 0.001). The obstetric outcomes were not different between the groups. MRI had a sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity of 100% in the series. Conclusion The rate of unnecessary surgery was significantly reduced in pregnant women, who underwent MRI after inconclusive transabdominal US.

Background/Aims: Patients with diverticular disease (DD) frequently have abnormal bowel movements. However, it is unknown whether the entity of these alterations is associated with the severity of DD. We aimed to assess bowel habits and their relationship with the severity of DD according to Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) classification, Combined Overview on Diverticular Assessment (CODA) score, and fecal calprotectin (FC). Methods: An international, multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted in 43 centers. A 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the severity of constipation and diarrhea. The association of constipation and diarrhea with DICA classification, CODA score, and basal FC was tested using non-parametric tests. Survival methods for censored observations were applied to test the association of constipation and diarrhea with the incidence of acute diverticulitis over a 3-year follow-up. Results: Of 871 patients with DD were included in the study. Of these, 208 (23.9%) and 199 (22.9%) reported a VAS score for constipation and diarrhea at least 3 at baseline, respectively. Higher constipation and diarrhea scores were associated with increasing DICA classification, CODA score and basal FC (P< 0.001). Constipation and diarrhea scores were independently associated with an increased hazard of developing acute diverticulitis (hazard ratio [HR]constipation = 1.15 per 1-VAS point increase, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.27; P=0.004; and HRdiarrhea =1.14; 95% CI, 1.03–1.26; P=0.014, respectively). Conclusions In newly diagnosed patients with DD, higher endoscopic and combined scores of DD severity were associated with higher scores of constipation and diarrhea at baseline. Both constipation and diarrhea were independent prognostic factors of acute diverticulitis.

Background/Aims: Patients with diverticular disease (DD) frequently have abnormal bowel movements. However, it is unknown whether the entity of these alterations is associated with the severity of DD. We aimed to assess bowel habits and their relationship with the severity of DD according to Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) classification, Combined Overview on Diverticular Assessment (CODA) score, and fecal calprotectin (FC). Methods: An international, multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted in 43 centers. A 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the severity of constipation and diarrhea. The association of constipation and diarrhea with DICA classification, CODA score, and basal FC was tested using non-parametric tests. Survival methods for censored observations were applied to test the association of constipation and diarrhea with the incidence of acute diverticulitis over a 3-year follow-up. Results: Of 871 patients with DD were included in the study. Of these, 208 (23.9%) and 199 (22.9%) reported a VAS score for constipation and diarrhea at least 3 at baseline, respectively. Higher constipation and diarrhea scores were associated with increasing DICA classification, CODA score and basal FC (P< 0.001). Constipation and diarrhea scores were independently associated with an increased hazard of developing acute diverticulitis (hazard ratio [HR]constipation = 1.15 per 1-VAS point increase, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.27; P=0.004; and HRdiarrhea =1.14; 95% CI, 1.03–1.26; P=0.014, respectively). Conclusions In newly diagnosed patients with DD, higher endoscopic and combined scores of DD severity were associated with higher scores of constipation and diarrhea at baseline. Both constipation and diarrhea were independent prognostic factors of acute diverticulitis.

Background/Aims: Patients with diverticular disease (DD) frequently have abnormal bowel movements. However, it is unknown whether the entity of these alterations is associated with the severity of DD. We aimed to assess bowel habits and their relationship with the severity of DD according to Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) classification, Combined Overview on Diverticular Assessment (CODA) score, and fecal calprotectin (FC). Methods: An international, multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted in 43 centers. A 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the severity of constipation and diarrhea. The association of constipation and diarrhea with DICA classification, CODA score, and basal FC was tested using non-parametric tests. Survival methods for censored observations were applied to test the association of constipation and diarrhea with the incidence of acute diverticulitis over a 3-year follow-up. Results: Of 871 patients with DD were included in the study. Of these, 208 (23.9%) and 199 (22.9%) reported a VAS score for constipation and diarrhea at least 3 at baseline, respectively. Higher constipation and diarrhea scores were associated with increasing DICA classification, CODA score and basal FC (P< 0.001). Constipation and diarrhea scores were independently associated with an increased hazard of developing acute diverticulitis (hazard ratio [HR]constipation = 1.15 per 1-VAS point increase, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.27; P=0.004; and HRdiarrhea =1.14; 95% CI, 1.03–1.26; P=0.014, respectively). Conclusions In newly diagnosed patients with DD, higher endoscopic and combined scores of DD severity were associated with higher scores of constipation and diarrhea at baseline. Both constipation and diarrhea were independent prognostic factors of acute diverticulitis.