HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA AS A BIOMARKER FOR COMPLICATED APPENDICITIS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Hyperbilirubinemia has been proposed as a potential biomarker for predicting complicated appendicitis. This study aims to evaluate the role of serum bilirubin in differentiating complicated from uncomplicated appendicitis and to compare its diagnostic performance with other inflammatory markers. Material and Method: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 30 patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis, including 10 with complicated and 20 with uncomplicated appendicitis. Laboratory parameters, including white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophilto-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet (PLT) count, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serum bilirubin levels, were compared between the two groups. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the predictive value of hyperbilirubinemia for complicated appendicitis. Results: Patients with complicated appendicitis exhibited significantly higher serum bilirubin levels than those with uncomplicated appendicitis (p<0.01). Additionally, CRP and IL-6 were notably elevated in the complicated appendicitis group. However, the combination of serum bilirubin with other inflammatory markers, such as CRP and IL-6, enhanced diagnostic accuracy. Conclusion: Hyperbilirubinemia is a valuable biomarker for predicting complicated appendicitis and may serve as a useful adjunct to existing diagnostic tools. Further largescale prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings and establish standardized cutoff values for clinical application.