title: Complicated brucellar spondylodiscitis: experience from an endemic area.
abstract: The demographical, clinical, and therapeutical features of patients with brucellar spondylodiscitis (BS) were evaluated in this study. Of the 96 patients with brucellosis, 20 (20.8%) were diagnosed with spondylodiscitis. Patients who had BS were more likely to be older (p = 0.001), have higher erythrocyte sedimentation rates (p = 0.01), and more likely to be anemic (p = 0.017). Lumbar segment (18/20) was frequently involved region. BS was complicated with paravertebral or epidural abscess in seven, radiculitis in six, and psoas abscess in five of cases. Antibiotic regimens including two or three antibiotics with combination of doxycycline, rifampin, and streptomycin were used. In this series, the mean duration of antimicrobial therapy was 18 weeks (range 12-56 weeks). Attention is drawn to this disease given the need for prolonged duration of treatment especially in complicated cases in order to avoid possible sequelae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease and Clinical Microbiology (IDCM), Erciyes School of Medicine, Talas-Kayseri, Turkey, draysegululu@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Aysegul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ulu-Kilic
authors.forename: Merve Sefa
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sayar
authors.forename: Ediz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tütüncü
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sezen
authors.forename: Irfan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sencan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015299:Discitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline; D012293:Rifampin; D013307:Streptomycin