Hematogenous osteomyelitis in childhood can relapse many years later into adulthood: A retrospective multicentric cohort study in France

摘要

To describe the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and radiological features and the management of adult patients who experienced a relapse between 2003 and 2015 of an acute hematogenous osteomyelitis acquired in childhood. A retrospective multicentric cohort study was conducted in 5 centers in France. Thirty-seven patients were included. The median age was 40 years (28–56), and 26 (70%) were male. The first site of infection was the distal femur (n = 23, 62%). The median time between the osteomyelitis in childhood and the relapse in adulthood was 26 years (13–45). Thirty-four (92%) patients reported inflammatory local clinical manifestations, 17 (46%) draining fistula, 10 (27%) fever. Most patients had intramedullary gadolinium deposition (with or without abscess) on magnetic resonance imaging. Most relapses were monomicrobial infections (82%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most commonly found microorganism (82%), expressing a small colony variant phenotype in 3 cases. Most patients (97%) had a surgical treatment, and the median duration of antibiotics for the relapse was 12 weeks. All patients had a favorable outcome, no patient died and no further relapse occurred. We count 2 femoral fractures on osteotomy site. Osteomyelitis in childhood can relapse later in adulthood , especially in patients with lack of care during the initial episode. Osteotomy and prolonged antimicrobial therapy are required for clinical remission.