Table 3 Characteristics and outcomes of patients with appendicitis, stratified for duration of symptoms, ≤24 h vs. > 24 h, in 2019 pre-COVID cohort and 2020 COVID cohort

Age, median (IQR), years

40 (28–55)

41 (27–58)

0.707

37 (28–52)

45 (31–60)

0.001

Age ≥ 60 years, no./total no. (%)

54/279 (19.4)

82/358 (22.9)

0.278

37/230 (16.1)

96/371 (25.9)

0.005

Female sex, no./total no. (%)

151/279 (54.1)

169/358 (47.2)

0.083

124/230 (53.9)

189/371 (50.9)

0.479

ASA > 1, no./total no. (%)

115/263 (43.7)

145/327 (44.3)

0.881

106/211 (50.2)

145/309 (46.9)

0.458

Comorbidity, no./total no. (%)

22/273 (8.1)

24/348 (6.9)

0.583

20/223 (9.0)

44/363 (12.1)

0.235

Severity of appendicitis, no./total no. (%)

< 0.001^a

< 0.001^a

 Uncomplicated

201/279 (72.0)

189/358 (52.8)

163/230 (70.9)

154/371 (41.5)

 Gangrenous

26/279 (9.3)

19/358 (5.3)

17/230 (7.4)

32/371 (8.6)

 Perforation

44/279 (15.8)

109/358 (30.4)

41/230 (17.8)

137/371 (36.9)

 Infiltration/abscess

7/279 (2.5)

36/358 (10.1)

9/230 (3.9)

45/371 (12.1)

 Normal (sana)

1/279 (0.4)

5/358 (1.4)

0/230 (0)

3/371 (0.8)

Conservative treatment, no./total no. (%)

8/279 (2.9)

33/358 (9.2)

0.001

5/230 (2.2)

57/371 (15.4)

< 0.001^a

In-hospital delay in operated patients, median (IQR), hours

7.6 (5.0–14.7)

7.0 (4.8–11.8)

0.076

7.2 (4.4–13.2)

6.2 (4.3–10.0)

0.057

Complication within 30 days, no./total no. (%)

28/279 (10.0)

42/358 (11.7)

0.292

16/230 (7.0)

60/371 (16.2)

0.001

Postoperative complication^c, no./total no. (%)

26/271 (9.6)

41/325 (12.6)

0.245

15/225 (6.7)

48/313 (15.3)

0.002

Severe postoperative complication^{c d}, no./total no. (%)

4/271 (1.5)

10/325 (3.1)

0.279^a

5/225 (2.2)

15/313 (4.8)

0.165^a