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Tuberculosis of the spine. A systematic review of case series

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Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this systematic review was to characterise the methodological issues, as well as clinical, diagnosis, microbiological and treatment characteristics of patients with spinal tuberculosis.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review including prospective or retrospective case series written in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian published in the period from January 1980 to March 2011.

Results

Thirty-seven articles were included with a total of 1,997 patients; the median of the percentage of men was 53% (interquartile range [IQR] 48–64) and the median of the patients mean age was 43.4 (IQR 37–55). The most common symptom reported was back pain, and thoracic spine was the most frequent segment involved. Spinal plain radiography was done in 35 studies (94.6%), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 26 (70.2%), computed tomography scan (CT-scan) in 13 (35%) and microbiological diagnosis in 29 (78.3%). Surgical treatment was reported in 28 articles 75.7%; finally, 24 articles reported follow-up, and in 15 of them at least 80% of patients improved.

Conclusions

Spinal TB is still an important public health issue, it must be suspected in the presence of back pain or characteristic images and should be confirmed with microbiological procedures. Chemotherapy treatment is often used; in contrast, there is heterogeneity in the percentage of patients treated by surgery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Preventive Medicine, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain

    Manuel Fuentes Ferrer, Luisa Gutiérrez Torres, Oscar Ayala Ramírez, Mercedes Rumayor Zarzuelo & Náyade del Prado González

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  1. Manuel Fuentes Ferrer
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  2. Luisa Gutiérrez Torres
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Correspondence to Manuel Fuentes Ferrer.

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Ferrer, M.F., Torres, L.G., Ramírez, O.A. et al. Tuberculosis of the spine. A systematic review of case series. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 36, 221–231 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-011-1414-4

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