title: Splenic abscess: a review of 22 cases in a single institution.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the demographics, clinical features, etiology, imaging findings, bacteriologic profile, treatment and outcome in patients presenting splenic abscess in a European tertiary hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of the medical charts of patients in whom splenic abscess was diagnosed at a tertiary hospital in Madrid (Spain) within a nine-year period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two cases (13 males, 9 females) were found. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the most frequent causative microorganism, accounting for 8 cases, and immunosuppression the main predisposing factor (in 63.6% of the patients). Symptoms were quite unspecific, leading to a long, median time until diagnosis (17 days). The overall mortality rate was 18.2% and it was 25% in patients with tuberculosis and 14.28% in patients with other causes of splenic abscesses (p=0.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immunosuppressed states are the predisposing condition for splenic abscess in almost two thirds of the patients. We found a higher percentage of M. tuberculosis than that previously reported in the English literature.
authors.affiliation: Service of Internal Medicine, 12 de Octubre University Hospital. Avenida de Córdoba s/n. 28041 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jara
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Llenas-García
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Ruiz
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caurcel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Enguita-Valls
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vila-Santos
authors.forename: Juan-Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Guerra-Vales
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents