title: Clinical and microbiological characteristics of patients with septic arthritis: A hospital-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics, etiology, underlying conditions, and outcomes of patients with primary septic arthritis and no prosthetic joints at a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was performed between 2005 and 2012. Records from the Microbiology Department were reviewed, and patients with a positive culture of synovial fluid or biopsy were selected for the study. Clinical charts were reviewed using a designed protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  41 patients were diagnosed with septic arthritis with a positive culture. Most were diagnosed with monoarticular (85.37%) and monomicrobial (92.68%) arthritis. The most commonly involved joint was the knee (34.15%). The most frequent underlying conditions were hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen (58.54%). Two cases of chronic arthritis, both caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis were detected. The most frequently used antibiotic combinations were cloxacillin + ciprofloxacin and vancomycin + ciprofloxacin. Surgical treatment included needle aspiration, open joint debridement, or arthroscopic techniques. Twelve cases had a poor outcome (destructive articular disease), and 3 patients died from staphylococcal sepsis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our hospital, septic arthritis is primarily acute, monoarticular, and monomicrobial; affects higher joints, is caused by S. aureus, and occurs in adult patients with underlying diseases. Outcome is good in most patients, although more than 25% of cases had articular sequels.
authors.affiliation: Bone and Joint Infection Unit, Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid FJD, Spain.
authors.forename: María-Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Egea
authors.affiliation: Bone and Joint Infection Unit, Departments of Emergency Medicine, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid FJD, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.affiliation: Bone and Joint Infection Unit, Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid FJD, Spain.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernández-Roblas
authors.affiliation: Bone and Joint Infection Unit, Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid FJD, Spain.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gadea
authors.affiliation: Bone and Joint Infection Unit, Departments of Emergency Medicine, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid FJD, Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Cañete
authors.affiliation: Bone and Joint Infection Unit, Departments of Orthopaedics, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid FJD, Spain.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sandoval
authors.affiliation: Bone and Joint Infection Unit, Departments of Orthopaedics, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid FJD, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valdazo
authors.affiliation: Bone and Joint Infection Unit, Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid FJD, Spain.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Esteban
keywords: Arthritis; Infection; Infectious; Septic arthritis
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