The role of the halp score in indicating the severity of acute appendicitis and predicting clinical prognosis

Aim: It is important to make this distinction with biomarkers when discussing conservative treatment in uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis (AA) cases. The aim of this study is to examine the potential of the HALP score to determine AA severity and predict clinical prognosis. Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, 94 patients whose HALP score could be calculated at the time of admission, among patients who were hospitalized and operated on due to AA in the 3rd level hospital emergency department between 2015 and 2024, were included in the study. According to the pathology reports, the patients were divided into two groups: complicated and uncomplicated. Results: Of the 94 patients included in our study, 43 were female and 51 were male, and their average age was determined as 33.45 +/- 13.24. 60 (63.8%) of the patients are in the uncomplicated appendicitis group, and 34 (36.2%) are in the complicated appendicitis group. In our study, no significant statistical difference was found between the complicated and uncomplicated AA groups in terms of complete blood count and biochemistry tests (p>0.05). No significant difference was observed between the complicated and uncomplicated groups in terms of HALP score (p = 0.200). Discussion: The findings of our study suggest that the use of the HALP score as a routine prognostic tool in the management of AA is limited. Future studies should comprehensively evaluate not only the HALP score but also the prognostic value of other laboratory and clinical parameters.