Evaluation of Epidemiological, Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Patients with Spondylodiscitis

Introduction: Spondylodiscitis is an infection of the intervertebral disc and the adjacent vertebrae and is hematogenous in origin in most cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with spondylodiscitis followed in the infectious diseases and clinical microbiology clinic. Materials and Methods: Findings of the patients were evaluated retrospectively. Diagnosis of spondylodiscitis was made based on clinical findings, microbiological and serological test results, radiological findings, and histopathological evaluation. Results: Among 22 patients included in the study, 16 were male (72.7%) and 6 were female (27.3%), and their mean age was 54 ± 16.3 years. The most common symptoms were backache, difficulty in walking, leg pain, and sweating (in 100%, 40.9%, 27.3%, and 22.7%, respectively). C-reactive protein (CRP) and sedimentation rate were found high in 63.6% and 77.3% of the patients, respectively. In 8 (36.4%) patients, brucella agglutination test was positive. All the blood cultures were negative. Biopsy culture was performed in seven patients, and Escherichia coli and Bacillus pumilus were isolated in one patient each. In one patient, acido-resistant bacilli (ARB) was found positive in biopsy material, but tuberculosis culture remained negative. Magnetic resonance imaging findings were compatible with spondylodiscitis in all patients, and in two patients, findings appeared to be tuberculosis. Twelve patients (54.5%) were diagnosed as pyogenic spondylodiscitis, 8 (36.4%) as brucellar spondylodiscitis and 2 (9.1%) as tuberculous spondylodiscitis. Conclusion: Spondylodiscitis must be kept in mind in patients with vertebral pain and high CRP and sedimentation rate even in the absence of fever. Most of our patients were pyogenic spondylodiscitis, but brucellar and tuberculous spondylodiscitis patients were diagnosed as well. We suggest that tuberculosis and brucellosis should be remembered among the causes of spondylodiscitis, especially in endemic regions