Osteoarticular brucellosis in children

Article Abstract:

Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that causes fever in animals and can also affect humans. The disease is a major health problem in many areas of the world. A recent surge of brucellosis in Saudi Arabia has been attributed to widespread animal farming and a common habit of consuming raw milk products. Diseases of the bones and joints are thought to be the most common complication associated with brucellosis, but the incidence may vary according to the patient, environment, or strain of bacteria involved. The occurrence of joint involvement in brucellosis has mostly been studied in adults. The medical findings associated with joint and bone disease in 40 (24 female) of 106 children with brucellosis were evaluated. Twenty-four children were school-aged. Single joints were involved in 28, while 12 had disease in multiple joints. Hip and knee joints were most frequently affected. Most patients with arthritis also had pain in joints that were not arthritic. Severe joint destruction was rare, as arthritis usually involved only soft tissue swelling and fluid accumulation in joints. Bone scans were more helpful than X-rays in identifying infections deep in bones. The arthritis as well as the infection responded well to antibiotic therapy. Three patients had relapses which responded to antibiotics, and only one had permanent joint dysfunction. The authors state that diagnosis of brucellosis should be considered whenever fever accompanies rheumatic complaints. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Infection, Causes of, Complications and side effects, Saudi Arabia, Pediatric diseases, Children, Diseases, Arthritis, Brucellosis, Infection in children

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Osteoarticular manifestations of pustulosis plamaris et plantaris and of psoriasis: two distinct entities

Article Abstract:

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP) are probably two separate joint diseases as well as the skin diseases associated with them. Researchers compared bone scans, physical examinations, and blood tests of 23 patients with documented PsA and 23 patients with documented PPP. Patients with PPP were more likely to have joint involvement in the front chest wall. Fourteen of 23 patients with PsA had joint involvement in more than one arm or leg joint. However, 17 of 23 patients with PPP had joint involvement in one or no arm and leg joints. Eleven patients with PsA had muscle inflammation next to the involved joints while only four of the PPP patients experienced this inflammation. Involvement in the spinal joints and blood test results were not significantly different between the two groups except for IgA antibody levels. Patients with PsA had higher IgA levels than those in the PPP group.

Skin diseases, Psoriasis

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Vertebral hyperostosis and diabetes mellitus: a case-control study

Article Abstract:

Obesity may be more of a risk factor for a type of arthritis called vertebral hyperostosis (VH) than is diabetes mellitus. Diabetes has been thought to be a risk factor for VH in elderly people. Researchers compared the blood glucose levels of 50 VH patients over 60 with blood glucose levels of 50 hospital patients without VH, with similar ages, weights, heights, and sex as the VH group. Twelve percent of both the VH and control groups had diabetes, as defined by World Health Organization criteria. The percentage of diabetics in this study is lower than has been reported in previous studies on VH. The weight/height index was similar between the two groups, but 64% of the VH group was overweight, and almost half of them were very overweight.

Health aspects, Elderly, Abnormalities, Diabetes mellitus, Glucose metabolism, Spine, Diabetes in old age

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