Comparative analysis of tuberculous and brucellar spondylodiscitis

Our aim was to compare the clinical, radiological and prognostic features of spontaneous spondylodiscitis secondary to tuberculosis (TS) and brucellosis (BS). This prospective study involved 41 patients diagnosed with spondylodiscitis. Of these, 18 (43.1%) had BS and 23 (56.1%) had TS. The mean age of TS patients was 52 +/- 13.43 years and older than BS patients (P < 0.001). A prolonged clinical course of the disease, constitutional symptoms, lymphocytosis, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), presence of posterior vertebrae lesions and psoas abscesses were significantly more frequent in the TS group. There are significant clinical, biological and radiological differences between TS and BS. These differences permit a presumptive aetiological diagnosis and orient the initial empirical medical treatment while awaiting a final microbiological diagnosis.