title: Myths and facts of spondylodiscitis: an analysis of 183 cases.
abstract: The authors conducted a retrospective study on 183 cases of spondylodiscitis, treated conservatively (44%) or surgically (56%) between November 1991 and June 2006. The male/female ratio was 99/84, and the mean age 62.6 years. The mean follow-up period was 12 years (range 4-19). Interesting from a clinical viewpoint: temperature, white blood cell count, and CRP were sometimes normal, while pain varied from slight to unbearable. The commonest risk factor was diabetes mellitus, and the most frequent pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was found in 6 patients, and 3 or 50% of these died, in sharp contrast with the overall mortality rate of 8.7%. A neurological deficit was seen in 43.7% of the patients; complete recovery occurred in 71% of the patients with a Frankel D stage, but in only 15.4 to 222% of those with a stage A, B or C.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Trauma Surgery, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany. mcitak@gmx.de
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Citak
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Backhaus
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kälicke
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hilal
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muhr
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Frangen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015299:Discitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult