Candida vertebral osteomyelitis (CVO) 28 cases from a 10-year retrospective study in France

Medicine (Baltimore). 2017 Aug;96(31):e7525. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000007525.

Abstract

Although increasingly frequent, little is known about the clinical presentation, radiological signs, and outcome of Candida vertebral osteomyelitis (CVO).We performed a nationwide retrospective study of laboratory-confirmed cases of CVO over a 10 year-period in France with a prolonged follow-up. We describe demographic, clinical, biological, and radiological characteristics of patients with CVO, patients' management, and long-term outcome and determine factors associated with a poor outcome.In total, 28 patients with laboratory-confirmed CVO were included. A prior systemic Candida infection was evidenced in 13/28 (46%), occurring a median of 6 weeks before CVO was diagnosed. Twenty-six of 28 (93%) had at least 1 underlying condition at risk of invasive fungal disease, and in 19/28 (68%) CVO was health-care related. C albicans was most frequently identified (21/28; 75%) Lumbo-sacral involvement was the most prevalent (20/28-71%). Nearly half patients had no fever at presentation, but all had pain. Initial antifungal therapy consisted in fluconazole in 15/28 (53%); surgery was needed in 5 (18%) cases.One-year mortality was 21% (6/28), directly related to fungal infection in 2 patients. Risk-factors associated with 1-year mortality were age (P=.02), a high Charlson comorbidity index (P = .001), and a shorter treatment duration (median, 3 months vs 6 months; P = .02). Among 22 patients who survived, the median follow up duration was 15.5 months (8-93.5); 10 had sequelae, consisting in pain in all and neurological deficit in one. A longer treatment duration was significantly associated with healing without sequelae (P = .04).CVO concerns patients with serious underlying conditions and risk-factors for invasive candidiasis. Prolonged antifungal treatment appears to improve survival without sequelae.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Candida / classification
  • Candida / isolation & purification
  • Candidiasis* / diagnosis
  • Candidiasis* / epidemiology
  • Candidiasis* / microbiology
  • Candidiasis* / therapy
  • Delayed Diagnosis
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • France
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteomyelitis / diagnosis
  • Osteomyelitis / epidemiology*
  • Osteomyelitis / microbiology
  • Osteomyelitis / therapy
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Spondylitis* / diagnosis
  • Spondylitis* / epidemiology
  • Spondylitis* / microbiology
  • Spondylitis* / therapy
  • Survival Analysis