title: Unusual case of osteomyelitis and discitis in a drug user with a background of chronic back pain: do not miss the serious etiologies.
abstract: Chronic back pain is a common presenting complaint that is frequently encountered by clinicians. The challenge for clinicians is identifying the relatively few patients with a significant probability of a more serious problem that requires further evaluation. Such individuals require further evaluation for possible occult malignancy, infection, or fracture. We present a case of a 50-year-old male with a past medical history of chronic back pain and IV drug abuse who presented with acute back pain and in whom a diagnosis of vertebral osteomyelitis was missed during multiple visits to the emergency room.
authors.affiliation: Saint Joseph Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, 2900 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60657, USA.
authors.forename: Alaa M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Moona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Shawn G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kwatra
authors.forename: Aram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barbaryan
authors.forename: Nasir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Raya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.forename: Aibek E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Mirrakhimov