The appendix, a small organ within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, has been a subject of medical curiosity due to its unclear function. Some research suggests that the appendix may serve an immunological role, acting as a reservoir for beneficial bacteria that can enhance GI flora.1 To understand the potential correlation between the appendix and Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection, a GI infection that typically presents with symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and fever,2 we studied 57,225 patients who had their appendix removed (an appendectomy) between 2010 and 2021.
First, we compared the risk of overall GI infections in the six months to two years before an appendectomy to the six months to two years after an appendectomy. No statistically significant difference in risk was observed.
However, when looking only at the incidence of C. diff for this population, we found that the risk of C. diff infection is more than double–a 109% increase–after an appendectomy compared to that same patient’s risk before the appendectomy, as seen in Figure 1. This correlation was slightly more pronounced for male patients with a 128% increased risk of C. diff infection after their appendectomy compared to an increase of 99% for female patients. Of note, only a small proportion of patients studied had C. diff infections both before and after the appendectomy.
