Background: Nine percent of all cases of tuberculosis are bone and joint tuberculosis (BJTB). BJTB occurs in two main forms: spinal (STB) and extraspinal (ESTB). The aim of this study was to compare STB with ESTB in terms of diagnosis, treatment and outcomes.
Methods: We collected demographic, clinical, microbiological, treatment duration and outcome data for patients with BJTB in a retrospective multicentre study over a 17-year period.
Results: Of the 116 patients included in the study, 69 (59.5%) had STB and 47 (40.5%) had ESTB. The median age was higher in the ESTB group. There were significantly more foreign-born patients in the STB group. The median time for diagnosis was longer for ESTB (6 months) than STB (4 months) (p = 0.017). Magnetic resonance imaging was highly reliable for the diagnosis. Direct examination and histology allowed the diagnosis to be made in more than 80% of cases. The median treatment duration of 12 months, regardless of the type of BJTB, was longer than recommended. A favourable outcome was achieved in 91.9% of cases.
Conclusion: The management of BJTB remains challenging. An earlier diagnosis should be more effective, reducing the total duration of treatment and leading to better tolerance.
Keywords: bone and joint tuberculosis; diagnosis; extraspinal tuberculosis; spinal tuberculosis; treatment duration.