All issues > Volume 47(8); 2004

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2004;47(8):851-854. Published online August 15, 2004.

The Diagnostic Value of Gross Bloody Stool on Intussusception

Kyung Ah KA Nam¹, Sang Hee SH Lee¹, Sang Hee SH Son¹, Su Jin SJ Jung¹, Son Sang SS Seo¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Ilsin Christian Hospital, Pusan, Korea

Correspondence Son Sang SS Seo ,Email: sss@ilsin.or.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: To evaluate the diagnostic value of gross bloody stools as a predictor of intussusception.
Methods
: We reviewed 159 cases retrospectively that had an ultrasound examination for diagnosis of intussusception from January 2001 to December 2003 at Ilsin Christian Hospital. We compared each symptom and assessed the diagnostic value of gross bloody stools in the patients with suspected intussusception.
Results
: Thirty-six of the 159 patients had intussusception. Of 36 patients with intussusception, 19 (52.8%) children were male and 28(77.8%) children were younger than two years. The most common symptom was intermittent abdominal pain or irritability. But its frequency among the intussusception (24.2%) was lower than frequency of gross bloody stools(50.9%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value(PPV) and negative predictive value(NPV) of gross bloody stools in patients with suspected intussusception were as follows; sensitivity=77.8%(95% CI 60.8-89.9), specificity=78.0%(95% CI 69.7-85.0), PPV=50.9%(95% CI 37.1-64.6), NPV=92.3%(95% CI 85.4-96.6)(Diagnostic accuracy 78.0 %; 95% CI 70.7-84.2).
Conclusion
: It is useful for diagnosis of intussusception to confirm the presence of gross blood in stools.

Keywords :Intussusception, Gross bloody stool