Validation of the Appendicitis Inflammatory Response (AIR) Score

Prospective validation study of the AIR score in 3,878 patients demonstrates high accuracy for detecting complicated appendicitis (ROC 0.89), with particularly strong performance in pediatric patients and those with prolonged symptoms. The score effectively identifies low-risk patients (NPV 99% at <4 points) and high-risk patients requiring intervention (PPV 96% in children at >8 points), supporting its use as a clinical decision tool in emergency departments.