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Pattern of septic arthritis in a tertiary hospital in Northern Nigeria: A retrospective study

Background: Septic arthritis remains one of the most rapidly destructive and potentially lethal forms of arthritis hence necessitating early and adequate treatments. Epidemiological data on septic arthritis are limited in Nigeria especially in the Northern region. This study was aimed to determine the pattern of distribution, presentation, treatment, and outcome of septic arthritis in a tertiary hospital in Northern Nigeria. Methods: A retrospective study of all patients that presented with septic arthritis at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria over a 6-year period was carried out. The patient's case notes were retrieved from the medical record department. Information extracted and analyzed included demographic data; joints affected cultured organisms, treatment offered, and outcomes. Results: A total of 36 patient case files (23 males and 13 females) with septic arthritis involving 48 joints were studied. Patient's age ranged 3 months to 60 years with mean age of 4.5 years. The knee was the most commonly involved joint (58.5%) followed by hip (25%) and then shoulders (10.5%). The common presenting symptoms were joint pain, fever, joint swelling, limping, and joint trauma. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common (52.8%) organism involved. About 58.3% of the patients had arthrotomy with antibiotics and 27.8% patients had arthrocentesis with antibiotics while only 13.9% had antibiotic treatment alone. Complications of joint stiffness (31%) and fixed flexion deformity (19%) were recorded whereas 41.7% had a complete resolution in this study. Conclusion: From the result of this study, the outcome of septic arthritis management in our environment was unsatisfactory. It is recommended that prompt recognition, rapid, and adequate treatments are critical to restore normal function of affected joints and minimize complications.