Speed bumps may hold the key to a quick diagnosis of appendicitis, doctors have found, after it was found those saying the pain worsened when the car jumped were likely to have the potentially fatal condition.
Doctors found that 97 per cent of people who were later diagnosed with appendicitis, and who travelled over speed bumps to get to hospital, said that the pain had got worse with the jumps.
The small study is published in the Christmas edition of the British Medical Journal.
Clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis can be difficult and yet it is the most common surgical abdominal emergency to remove the infected organ before it can burst.
There is no specific diagnostic test for appendicitis and removing a healthy appendix, which happens often, is best avoided, the authors said.
Similarly, missing appendicitis when it's present can be dangerous because if the organ bursts, it can release toxic material into the body cavity.
Researchers from the University of Oxford and Stoke Mandeville Hospital therefore carried out a study on 101 patients who were referred to hospital for suspected appendicitis.
Patients were classed as "speed bump positive" if they had a worsening of pain whilst travelling over speed bumps or "speed bump negative" if their pain stayed the same, if they were unsure, or if their pain improved.
All participants were questioned within 24 hours of their journey to hospital.
Sixty-four patients had travelled over speed bumps on their way to hospital.
Of those, 54 or 84 per cent were "speed bump positive."
Of the 64 who travelled over speed bumps, 34 had a confirmed diagnosis of acute appendicitis of which 33 or 97 per cent reported worse pain over the bumps.
Seven patients who were "speed bump positive" did not have appendicitis but did have other significant problems such as ruptured ovarian cyst or serious bowel problems.
The researchers conclude that an increase in pain over speed bumps is associated with an increased likelihood of acute appendicitis.
They add that although being "speed bump positive" does not guarantee a diagnosis of appendicitis, the study does suggest that it should form a routine part of assessment of patients with possible appendicitis.
Dr Helen Ashdown of the Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford said: "It may sound odd, but asking patients whether their pain worsened going over speed bumps on their way in to hospital could help doctors in a diagnosis.
"It turns out to be as good as many other ways of assessing people with suspected appendicitis."
Rebecca Smith - telegraph.co.uk
