PYOGENIC SACROILIITIS - PRESENTATION OF 1 0 CASES

We report the clinical, radiological and microbiological features of t en patients diagnosed of pyogenic sacroiliitis in an Internal Medicine Department during a 13 years period. Clinical signs and radiological or scintigraphical findings were present in every case. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in blood cultures in eight cases. We remark mean age (26.2 years), male predominance and the high prevalence of intrave nous drug abuse as the main epidemiological data in our patients. Onse t was acute in 60% of the cases, and subacute in the others. Erythrocy te sedimentation rate and a high white blood cell count were uniformel y elevated among laboratory tests. Initial roentgenograms were normal in 60%. Bone scans were the most sensitive diagnostic aid. All the pat ients were treated with intrevanous cloxacilin between two and eight w eeks; aminoglycosides were added in four patients. We have observed tw o cases of psoas abscesses that required surgical drainage.