title: [Ostearticular tuberculosis. Study of 53 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the characteristics of bone and joint tuberculosis in a Spanish university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study (1984-2006) in a university hospital. All patients had microbiologically and/or histologically proved osteoarticular tuberculosis. Patients with clinical and radiological criteriae, positive tuberculin test responding to antituberculous treatment were not excluded despite negative cultures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We attended 53 patients with osteoarticular tuberculosis (35 males/18 females; mean age: 52 years). Bone tuberculosis involved axial skeleton in 37 patients (71%), peripheral distribution in 12 (21%) and both locations in 4 (8%). Mean time to diagnosis was 8 months. Most common involved joints were knee and ankle. An extraarticular involvement was found in 12 patients (22%) and multifocal bone infection in 6 (11%). Risk factors were present in 22 patients (42%), and 15% were immigrants. The diagnosis was established by a positive culture in 40 cases (75%), and 33 (62%) had suggestive histology. Complications of tuberculosis included medullar compression (9.4%), abscess (12%) and fistulae (9.4%). Spine involvement required surgical intervention in 27% and peripheral involvement in 56%. Curation was achieved in 33 patients (62.3%), curation with secuelae in 19 cases (35.9%) and no consolidation of arthrodesis in one case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bone and joint tuberculosis is still common in our area and should be particularly considered in immigrants. Diagnosis delay is remarkable. Complications are present in one third of patients. Surgical treatment is often required.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, España. imateo.germanstrias@gencat.net
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mateo
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz Manzano
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olivé
authors.forename: Joxe Mari
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Manterola
authors.forename: Ricard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tena
authors.forename: Marisol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prats
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014394:Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular / Q000175:diagnosis*