Determining acute complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis using serum and urine biomarkers: interleukin-6 and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin.

PURPOSE: The study aim is to determine whether serum and urine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) can be included in the early diagnostic algorithm for pediatric appendicitis.

METHODS: Prospective single-center cohort study included 92 children divided into control, acute complicated appendicitis (AcA) and acute uncomplicated appendicitis (AnA) groups. Serum and urine samples were assayed for IL-6 and NGAL preoperatively, and on the second and fifth postoperative days. Intraoperative and bacteriological findings divided the appendicitis patients.

RESULTS: Average serum biomarker levels were higher in appendicitis patients versus the control, and the following values were produced via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. NGAL and IL-6 cutoff values were 113.95 ng/ml and 24.64 pg/ml, respectively, NGAL had 68.3% sensitivity and 65.5% specificity, while IL-6 had 72.6% and 86.2%. Comparing AcA and AnA, IL-6 was the only biomarker of significance yielding 77.4% sensitivity and 58.1% specificity with a 26.43 pg/ml cutoff value. Urine biomarkers were non-specific in differentiation appendicitis severity and ultimately, between infectious and non-infectious disease.

CONCLUSION: Although NGAL provided measurable useful diagnostic information in evaluating children for appendicitis, its values were not sufficient for appendicitis severity. Serum IL-6 remains a strong biomarker for suspected acute appendicitis and has promising results predicting its severity.