Nontraumatic Acute Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION

Acute abdominal pain (AAP) constitutes a frequent presenting complaint in the emergency department (ED). Distinguishing between mild and potentially life-threatening cases requires a structured approach and effective triage. This study aimed to describe the main nontraumatic causes of AAP, assess urgency, and analyze case distribution by age and gender, as well as admission and discharge patterns.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

All records of adult patients presenting with abdominal pain between August and December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The entire patient sample (n = 257) was classified into 15 different diagnostic groups.

RESULTS

From the total count of patients, n = 257, there were 154 females (59.92%) and 103 males (40.08%). According to our study, the leading cause of AAP was renal colic (n = 67; 26.07%), followed by nonspecific abdominal pain (NSAP) (n = 48, 18.68%), urinary tract infections (UTIs) (n = 38, 14.79%), and biliary colic and cholecystitis (n = 32, 12.45%). In terms of hospitalization, 195 patients (75.88%) were discharged, and 62 patients (24.12%) were admitted. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the likelihood of hospitalization was approximately twofold higher in males (odds ratio [OR] = 2.03), whereas females exhibited a reduced probability (OR = 0.49).

CONCLUSION

A higher proportion of AAP cases was observed among females in our ED sample, with renal colic, NSAP, UTI, and biliary disorders being the most common diagnoses. A high discharge rate (75.9%) reflects that most AAP cases were non-emergent; however, careful triage remains essential, particularly in male patients due to their higher admission risk.