Prognostic factors of septic arthritis of hip in infants and neonates: minimum 5-year follow-up.

Background: The authors conducted the present study to identify clinical and radiological prognostic factors in infants and neonates with septic arthritis of the hip.

Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 31 patients with septic arthritis of the hip. All of the patients were younger than 18 months old. Follow-up periods ranged from 5 to 17 years. The following potential variables for predicting the prognosis were included in the assessment: gender, age, underlying diseases, duration of symptoms, changes of hip joint in X-ray, concomitant osteomyelitis, elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, sepsis, pus drainage, synovial fluid culture, and infecting organisms. Clinical and radiological prognoses were analyzed at the final follow-up.

Results: Univariate analysis demonstrated that radiological prognoses were poorer in patients who had underlying diseases, a longer duration of symptoms, and pus drainage. However, on multivariate analysis, only the variable-duration of symptoms-was found to be statistically related with a poor radiological prognosis.

Conclusions: Although poor prognosis for patients with several underlying diseases and radiological changes has already been established, a favorable outcome might be expected with prompt surgical drainage and appropriate antibiotics.