Incidence of non-specific abdominal pain in children during school term: population survey based on discharge diagnoses

Abdominal pain remains a common problem in childhood and often results in admission to hospital. 1 Of these children, however, only 30-40% will require surgical intervention. 2 3 Most are discharged with a diagnosis of non-specific abdominal pain. 4 To elucidate whether non-specific abdominal pain is more common during the school term compared with the school holiday we investigated the admission rates for non-specific abdominal pain and acute appendicitis throughout the school year. Acute appendicitis Non-specific abdominal pain Year Term Holiday Rate ratio (95% CI) Term Holiday Rate ratio (95% CI) 1992-3 83 (2.0) 28 (2.5) 0.80 (0.51 to 1.23) 268 (6.5) 44 (4.0) 1.63 (1.18 to 2.26) 1993-4 110 (2.7) 30 (2.7) 0.98 (0.65 to 1.490) 320 (7.8) 48 (4.4) 1.79 (1.31 to 2.44) 1994-5 103 (2.5) 26 (2.4) 1.06 (0.69 to 1.65) 285 (7.0) 55 (5.0) 1.39 (1.04 to 1.87) 1995-6 94 (2.3) 23 (2.1) 1.10 (0.69 to 1.75) 327 (8.0) 81 (7.4) 1.08 (0.85 to 1.39) 1996-7 115 (2.8) 31 (2.8) 1.00 (0.66 to 1.49) 341 (8.3) 63 (5.7) 1.45 (1.10 to 1.91) Total 505 (2.5) 138 (2.5) 0.98 (0.81 to 1.19) 1541 (7.5) 291 (5.3) 1.42 (1.25 to 1.61) Comment Our findings that admission rates for acute appendicitis were independent of school holidays and school term are not surprising.