Hematogenous spinal infection in central Greece.
METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed spinal infection (SpI), in a teaching Hospital, in Central Greece.


OBJECTIVE
To study presentation, etiology, and outcome of SpI in Central Greece.


BACKGROUND
SpI most frequently involves the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebral bodies and can cause neurologic impairment.


METHODS
Thirty three patients (23 men; age [mean +/- standard deviation], 60.6 +/- 11.3 years; disease duration, 44.5 [+/-54.7] days) hospitalized with SpI between January 2000 and December 2007 were included in the study. All patients had magnetic resonance imaging of the spine.


RESULTS
Nineteen patients had pyogenic SpI (57.6%) and 14 patients had granulomatous SpI, 11 due to Brucella spp (34.4%), 3 due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (9.4%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent cause of pyogenic SpI, and spondylodiscitis (SpD) was the most frequent localization. Epidural entension was found in 8 of 17 pyogenic SpD and in 2 of 11 brucellar SpD patients. Subdural extension was detected in 3 patients with pyogenic SpD. Blood cultures were positive in 17 of 19 patients with pyogenic SpI. Two patients had concomitant endocarditis (staphylococcal 1, enterococcal 1). The most common associated disease was diabetes mellitus. All but 2 patients received medical treatment alone. Two patients died of uncontrollable sepsis.


CONCLUSIONS
Back pain in presence of fever, constitutional symptoms, and/or high inflammation markers should alert physicians for spinal infection. In endemic areas, Brucella is a frequent cause of SpI.
Sakkas
Lazaros I
LI
From the Departments of Internal Medicine/Rheumatology, Thessaly University School of Medicine, Larisa, Greece. lsakkas@med.uth.gr
Davas
Evangelos M
EM
Kapsalaki
Efie
E
Boulbou
Maria
M
Makaritsis
Konstantinos
K
Alexiou
Ioannis
I
Tsikrikas
Thomas
T
Stathakis
Nikolaos
N
D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001416:Back Pain / Q000382:microbiology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000382:microbiology; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013131:Spine / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013166:Spondylitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D013355:Subdural Space / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015415:Biomarkers