Infectious sacroiliitis: Retrospective analysis of 18 case patients

Abstract Introduction Few infectious sacroiliitis reports are available in the literature. There is no standard clinical presentation, and diagnosis and treatments are therefore usually delayed. We aimed to describe this infection. Methods We performed a single-center retrospective study of patients hospitalized in the infectious diseases unit of the Limoges University Hospital from January 1, 2006 to January 31, 2016. We included all patients presenting with infectious monoarthritis of native sacroiliac joint. Clinical, biological, bacteriological, radiological, and therapeutic characteristics were collected. Results A total of 18 patients were enrolled. The sex ratio was 1.25. Mean age was 39.6 years (17–69 years). The average progression time at diagnosis was 17.9 days (1–110 days). The mean hospital stay was 16.2 days (3–35 days). Temperature at admission was 38.8 °C (37–40 °C). Identified bacteria were methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus in 83.3% of cases ( n  = 15), Proteus mirabilis ( n  = 1), and Streptococcus dysgalactiae ( n  = 1). Thirty-two (88.9%) of the 36 imaging examinations were consistent with the diagnosis. The survival rate was 100% at the end of the six-month follow-up. Conclusion Infectious sacroiliitis is a complex pathology requiring precise clinical examination for a rapid diagnosis. The outcome is usually favorable.