title: [Bacterial arthritis--a retrospective analysis].
abstract: Bacterial arthritis is an emergency situation in which rapid diagnosis and immediate therapy are the main factors conditioning a satisfactory functional outcome. Not infrequently, bacterial arthritis may involve only mild clinical features, thus leading to a delay in diagnosis. The case histories of 43 patients with bacterial arthritis are reviewed retrospectively. Only 20.9% mentioned a history of rigor and less than half (40.5%) of the patients had a body temperature elevation above 38 degrees C. Other signs of bacterial infection (i.e. leukocytosis, positive blood cultures, synovial fluid pleocytosis) were less frequent than expected. Functional outcome was better for patients with a short latent period between the onset of clinical symptoms and initiation of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatologische Universitätsklinik, Inselspital, Bern.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schlapbach
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ambord
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Blöchlinger
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Gerber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
vernacular_title: Bakterielle Arthritis--eine retrospektive Analyse.