Osteoarthritis in the neonate: risk factors and outcome

• Main Authors: Griselda Berberian, Verónica Firpo, Adriana Soto, Julio Lopez Mañan, Cecilia Torroija, Graciela Castro, Pablo Polanuer, Camilo Espinola, José Luis Piñeiro, María Teresa Rosanova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier
• Series: Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: osteoarthritis; neonate; Staphylococcus aureus
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-86702010000400018&lng=en&tlng=en

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify the clinical, radiological, and bacteriological features, risk factors, and outcome of neonates with bone and joint infections. STUDY DESIGN: Observational, retrospective, and analytical study of 77 patients less than 2 months of age, admitted to a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with the diagnosis of bone or joint infection, based on clinical, radiological, and microbiological criteria. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients with 99 acute osteoarthritis foci in a 16 year period were included in the study. Risk factors for infection could be identified in 69% of the patients. The hip was the most frequent. Staphylococcus aureus was the main isolated microorganism. Twenty-nine infants (38%) had sequelae. Hip involvement, culture positive, and Staphylococcus aureus isolation were risk factors associated with sequelae. CONCLUSION: Osteoarticular infection is unusual in the neonate; however it is associated with an elevated incidence of sequelae. This mandates for a high degree of suspicion to diagnose this potentially disabling entity.