Clinical Prediction Scores for Pediatric Appendicitis

Prospective validation study of four clinical prediction scores for pediatric appendicitis shows the AIR score and pARC significantly outperform the traditional PAS and Alvarado scores, with substantially higher specificity (93-98% vs 64-72%) and fewer false positives. Both newer tools demonstrated superior clinical utility across age and gender groups, supporting their adoption for diagnostic decision-making in children with suspected appendicitis.