Comparison of complicated appendicitis rates between refugees and local patients

BACKGROUND: This study aims to determine whether refugee patients are more likely to present with complicated appendicitis.
METHODS: Patients who were hospitalized and treated with the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in a single center between 2018 and 2020 were evaluated within the scope of this study, and the included patients were divided into two groups as refugees (n=140) and local patients (n=386). The primary outcome was complicated appendicitis rate, and the duration of symptoms, time to appendectomy, operation time, diagnostic modality, and length of hospital stay were also analyzed. According to operational diagnosis and pathology reports, cases were categorized as either non-complicated or complicated.
RESULTS: The complicated appendicitis rate, and the number of patients with symptoms lasting longer than 72 h were statistically more significant in refugee patients (p=0.009 and n: 186, p=0.000, respectively). The refugee patients had a younger mean age and a higher male patient rate which was statistically significant (p=0.000 for both). There was no significant difference between the groups concerning time to appendectomy, operation time, type of surgery, hospital length of stay, and diagnostic modality (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION: The findings of this study demonstrated that refugee patients have a higher complicated appendicitis rate and late admission rate, even though refugee patients have equal access to healthcare in our country. Future research is needed to identify factors affecting outcomes of refugee patients.

Mülteci ve yerel hastalar arasýnda komplike apandisit oranlarýnýn karþýlaþtýrýlmasý

AMAÇ: Bu çalýþmanýn amacý, mülteci hastalarýn komplike apandisit ile baþvurma olasýlýðýnýn daha yüksek olup olmadýðýný belirlemeyi amaçlamaktadýr.
GEREÇ VE YÖNTEM: Çalýþma kapsamýnda 2018–2020 yýllarý arasýnda akut apandisit tanýsý ile yatýrýlarak, tedavi edilen hastalar deðerlendirilmeye alýndý, çalýþma popülasyonu mülteci hastalar (n=140) ve yerel hastalar (n=386) olarak iki gruba ayrýldý. Çalýþmanýn birincil sonucu komplike apandisit oranlarýydý, semptomlarýn süresi, apendektomiye kadar geçen süre, tanýsal yöntemler ve hastanede kalýþ süresi ayrýca deðerlendirildi. Ameliyat sýrasýndaki bulgular ve patoloji raporlarýna göre olgular komplike ve non-komplike apandisit olarak sýnýflandýrýldý.
BULGULAR: Komplike apandisit oranlarý ve semptom süresi 72 saatten daha uzun olan hasta sayýsý mülteci hasta grubunda istatistiksel olarak daha anlamlý idi (sýrasýyla, p=0.009 ve n=186, p=0.000). Mülteci hastalarýn yaþ ortalamasý daha gençti ve erkek hasta oraný istatistiksel olarak anlamlý þekilde daha yüksekti (her ikisi için p=0.000). Gruplar arasýnda apendektomi zamaný, ameliyat süresi, cerrahi yöntem, hastanede yatýþ süresi ve tanýsal yöntemler açýsýndan anlamlý fark yoktu (p>0.05).
TARTIÞMA: Ülkemizde mülteci hastalar saðlýk hizmetlerine eþit eriþim imkanýna sahip olmalarýna raðmen, bu çalýþmanýn sonuçlarý mülteci hastalarýn daha yüksek komplike apandisit ve geç baþvuru oranlarýna sahip olduklarýný göstermiþtir. Mülteci hastalarýn sonuçlarýný etkileyen faktörleri belirlemek için gelecekte yapýlacak araþtýrmalara ihtiyaç vardýr.