Appendicitis Risk Factors: Who Is Most Susceptible?

Appendicitis: Populations at Higher Risk

While appendicitis can affect anyone, certain groups have elevated incidence:

• Age: Peak incidence in adolescents and young adults (10–30 years).
• Sex: Males slightly more affected than females (lifetime risk 8.6% vs. 6.7%).
• Family history: First-degree relative with appendicitis increases risk ~3-fold.
• Medical conditions: Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, cystic fibrosis.
• Low-fiber diet and constipation: Fecal stasis may predispose to appendiceal obstruction.
• Geography and season: Higher in developed countries; summer peaks in some regions.

Protective Factors

High-fiber diet, regular bowel movements, and possibly breastfeeding in infancy.

Note: Risk factors indicate probability, not certainty. Acute abdominal pain requires urgent evaluation regardless of risk profile.