%0 Journal Article
%T Association Between Diagnostic Delays and Spinal Involvement in Human Brucellosis: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.
%A Pu Z
%A Liu Y
%A Bai M
%A Ling T
%A Pan J
%A Xu D
%A Dai P
%A Yan Y
%J Open Forum Infect Dis
%V 11
%N 7
%D 2024 Jul
%M 39035571
%F 4.423
%R 10.1093/ofid/ofae357
%X UNASSIGNED: Spinal involvement is a common but serious complication of human brucellosis. However, information on the risk factors associated with spinal involvement in individuals with brucellosis is limited.
UNASSIGNED: This retrospective case-control study aimed to determine the potential risk factors associated with spinal complications in inpatients with brucellosis.
UNASSIGNED: During the study period, brucellosis was diagnosed in 377 patients, of whom 108 (28.64%) showed spinal involvement. Those with spinal involvement were significantly older than patients in the control group (mean age [standard deviation], 53.25 [10.48] vs 43.12 [13.84] years, respectively; P < .001). The diagnostic delays were significantly longer in patients with spinal involvement than in the control group (mean delay [standard deviation], 11.17 [13.55] vs 6.03 [8.02] weeks; P = .001). Age >40 years (odds ratio, 5.42 [95% confidence interval, 2.65-11.05]; P < .001) and diagnostic delay >4 weeks (2.94 [1.62-5.35]; P < .001) were independently associated with spinal involvement in brucellosis. The lumbar spine at the L3-5 level was the most affected (152 of 249 [61.04%]). Back pain (92 of 108 in case patients vs 21 of 108 in controls; P < .001) and splenomegaly (23 vs 42 of 108, respectively; P = .005) differed significantly between the 2 groups.
UNASSIGNED: Age >40 years and diagnostic delay >4 weeks increased the risk of spinal involvement in brucellosis. Therefore, the time from symptom onset to diagnosis should be shortened, using effective measures to reduce spinal involvement risk.