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Septic Arthritis in Patients Aged 80 and Older: A Comparison with Younger Adults
Author(s) -
Gavet Florence,
Tournadre Anne,
Soubrier Martin,
Ristori Jean Michel,
Dubost Jean Jacques
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53373.x
Subject(s) - medicine , septic arthritis , white blood cell , arthritis , erythrocyte sedimentation rate , risk factor , surgery , retrospective cohort study
Objectives: To compare the frequency and characteristics of septic arthritis in patients younger than 80 and aged 80 and older. Design: Retrospective. Setting: Single hospital center. Participants: Patients admitted between 1979 and 2002 for septic arthritis. Measurements: Age, sex, time to diagnosis, predisposing factors, joint, temperature, white blood cell count, microorganism, and short‐term outcome. Results: Of 335 patients, 206 (61.4%) were aged 60 and older, and 42 (12.5%) were 80 and older. The latter had an average age of 84 (range 80–97) and were mainly women (72%). Eighteen of the 42 had at least one risk factor. The mean time to diagnosis was 21 days (range 1 day to 3 months). Twenty patients (47%) had knee involvement, six (14%) shoulder involvement, ten (23.8%) a prosthetic infection, and five (12%) polyarticular infection. Ten (23%) were afebrile. In half of the cases, there was no increase in white blood cell count. The microorganisms isolated were Staphylococcus aureus (n=16, 38%), coagulase negative staphylococci (n=8, 19%), streptococci (n=12, 28%), and gram‐negative bacilli (n=6, 14%). The mortality rate increased with age: 0.7% of patients younger than 60, 4.8% of those aged 60 to 79, and 9.5% of those aged 80 and older. Conclusion: Advanced age is a risk factor for septic arthritis and poor outcome.