title: [Septic arthritis in adult patients in a general hospital in Chile].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Septic arthritis is an infrequent condition of prolonged morbidity and there is no previous publications in Chile that allow orientate therapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize a group of adult patients with septic arthritis confirmed by culture.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study of a case series.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 2003 to august 2013, 24 patients with 25 events of septic arthritis were identified in a general hospital. Mean age was 68.3 years old (range 24-94). Predisposing conditions were harbored by 91.7%. Predominant clinical manifestations were pain (92%) and impaired joint movement (95.7%). Fever was present in 64%, hypotension in 28% of events, and C-reactive protein > 100 mg/L in 90.6%. Gram positive cocci were the most frequently isolated microorganisms (81.5%), predominating S. aureus (48.1%), and with 4 isolates methicillin resistant isolates (26.7%). Resistant isolates trend to be associated with previous surgery (p = 0.055) and all cases caused by non-fermentative Gram negative bacilli had recent hospitalization or surgery, a feature that did not reach a significant difference. Nine events were associated to bacteremia (36%). Outcome analysis indicated 32% of events with full recovery, 28% with a favorable evolution, 20% with therapy failure and 16.7% patients that died. A total of 24% of the series remained with significant sequels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Septic arthritis is an infrequent disease that affects in most cases patients with predisposing conditions. Associated symptoms include pain and impaired joint movement, sometimes fever, hypotension, positive blood cultures and frequently a C-reactive protein > 100 mg/L. Predominant agents are Gram positive cocci, specially S. aureus, including methicillin resistant isolates. Case-fatality ratio, treatment failure and sequels are important.
authors.forename: Constanza
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Florestano
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fica
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gaete
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Porte
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Braun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents