Original scientific paper
Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of pyogenic spondylodiscitis in hospitalized patients
Ivan Puljiz
; Klinika za infektivne bolesti "Dr. Fran Mihaljević", Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
A prospective and retrospective analysis was performed on 36 patients with pyogenic spondylodiscitis (SD) hospitalized at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević" Zagreb in the period from January 1, 2013 until March 31, 2014. The study included 21 (58%) male patients, and 29 (81%) patients older than 50 years of age. Approximately half of the patients (16 or 44%) had some type of a triggering factor, and more than half of the patients experienced disease complications (19 or 54%). The majority of patients had a subacute-chronic course of disease. All patients had back-pain, fever was recorded in 28 or 78%, and neurologic symptoms in 10 or 28% of patients. Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (in 31 or 86%) and high C-reactive protein (in 34 or 97%) were recorded in the majority of patients, and leukocytosis in less than half of the patients (14 or 39%). Lumbar spine was most frequently affected (in 23 or 64% of patients), followed by thoracic spine (in 7 or 19%). Skin changes (in 8 or 22%) were most commonly the focus of infection, and postoperative SD was recorded in 7 or 19% patients. Disease etiology was detected in 22 or 61% patients, and the most common pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus (in 10 or 32%). Due to unsuccessful conservative treatment, a surgical procedure was performed in 8 or 22% of patients. One patient died due to acute myocardial infarction that was later on confirmed by autopsy.
Keywords
Spondylodiscitis; epidemiology; clinical picture; diagnosis
Hrčak ID:
133449
URI
Publication date:
31.3.2014.
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