This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (22)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Treatment With Antimicrobial Agents and Bed Rest

M. Colin Jordan, MD; William M. M. Kirby, MD

Arch Intern Med. 1971;128(3):405-410.

Abstract
Four patients were treated with antibiotics and simple bed rest for pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. The initial clinical response to therapy was good in all patients, with a rapid fall in temperature and a marked decrease in back pain within two or three days. The duration of hospitalization averaged 42 days and all four patients were ambulatory when discharged. Spontaneous intervertebral fusion occurred in three patients and all have returned to work. The duration of follow-up has ranged from 17 to 30 months and no relapses or complications have occurred. The fourth patient died of a myocardial infarction ten days after discharge. At autopsy, the vertebral bodies and disk space were sterile and reparative bony sclerosis had begun. In these four cases, the clinical response to bed rest and antibiotics was equivalent to that obtained with rigid immobilization. This regimen avoids the inconvenience and hazards of body casts and the duration of hospitalization may be shortened.

Author Affiliations
Seattle

From the Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.

Footnotes
Received for publication Oct 21, 1970; accepted Nov 9.

Reprint requests to Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98105 (Dr. Kirby).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Diagnosis of Vertebral Osteomyelitis in a Community Hospital by Using Computed Tomography
Abbey and Hosea
Arch Intern Med 1989;149:2029-2035.
ABSTRACT  

Salmonella Vertebral Osteomyelitis Treated With Cefotaxime
Dolan et al.
Arch Intern Med 1987;147:1667-1668.
ABSTRACT  

Severe Vertebral Osteomyelitis in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury
Malik et al.
Arch Intern Med 1982;142:807-808.
ABSTRACT  

Pott's Disease in Heroin Addicts
Forlenza et al.
JAMA 1979;241:379-380.
ABSTRACT  

Vertebral Osteomyelitis: Still a Diagnostic Pitfall
Musher et al.
Arch Intern Med 1976;136:105-110.
ABSTRACT  

Osteomyelitis in Hemodialysis Patients
LEONARD et al.
ANN INTERN MED 1973;78:651-658.
ABSTRACT