Water permeability is a measure of severity in acute appendicitis

Figures & data

Figure 1. (A) Cryosection and (B) H.E. staining of appendix role. (C–F) Representative images of control, AQP1 negative, AQP1 mildly positive and strongly positive immunohistochemical staining (10× standard microscopic enlargement) (G) Consecutive pictures of tip and base were taken (10× standard microscopic enlargement) and AQP1 positive ganglia were counted (H) Immunofluorescence co-staining revealed different expression patterns for AQP1 and MAP2 (40x standard microscopic enlargement).

Table 1. Patient characteristic.

Patient characteristics		All patients	Acute appendicitis	Phlegmonous appendicitis	Perforated appendicitis	Control
Age at operation	years (mean)	2.9–17.7 (10)	5.5–17.0 (11)	2.9–17.7 (11.3)	8.0–13.0 (9.8)	10.0–16.0 (13)
Sex	f/m (%)	50/50	42.9/57.1	52.6/47.4	40/60	100/0
AQP1 expression	negative	14	8	4	0	2
	mildly positive	14	4	9	1	0
	strongly positive	12	2	6	4	0
Inflammation parameters (CRP/Leucocytes)	none elevated	9	7	0	1	2
	one elevated	19	6	12	1	0
	both elevated	12	1	7	3	0
	total	40	14	19	5	2

^a Age and sex ns., correlation of AQP1 expression and inflammation depicted in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Correlation of the stage of the disease with AQP1 expression and CRP and leucocyte count A significantly positive correlation of the stage of the disease with the AQP1 expression (correlation coefficient 0.542, p ≤ 0.001) (A) as well as with CRP and Leucocyte values (correlation coefficient 0.575, p ≤ 0.001) (B) is shown. Moreover, a significantly positive correlation of laboratory inflammation parameters with AQP1 expression in the tissue (correlation coefficient 0.347, p = 0.028) (C) could be found.

Table 2. Distribution of ganglia.

Ganglion count	Specimen with higher total number of ganglia (n)	Percent (%)
Base	4	17.4
Tip	15	65.2^a
No difference	4	17.4
Total	23	100

^a Significantly positive correlation of higher ganglion count with location in tip (inflamed region).