Optimal Duration of Antibiotic Therapy in Patients With Hematogenous Vertebral Osteomyelitis at Low Risk and High Risk of RecurrenceKi–Ho Park, Oh‐Hyun Cho, Jung‐Hee Lee et al.|Clinical Infectious Diseases|2016 BACKGROUND: The optimal duration of antibiotic treatment for hematogenous vertebral osteomyelitis (HVO) should be based on the patient's risk of recurrence, but it is not well established. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted to evaluate the optimal duration of antibiotic treatment in patients with HVO at low and high risk of recurrence. Patients with at least 1 independent baseline risk factor for recurrence, determined by multivariable analysis, were considered as high risk and those with no risk factor as low risk. RESULTS: A total of 314 patients with microbiologically diagnosed HVO were evaluable for recurrence. In multivariable analysis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-5.87), undrained paravertebral/psoas abscesses (aOR, 4.09; 95% CI, 1.82-9.19), and end-stage renal disease (aOR, 6.58; 95% CI, 1.63-26.54) were independent baseline risk factors for recurrence. Therefore, 191 (60.8%) patients were classified as low risk and 123 (39.2%) as high risk. Among high-risk patients, there was a significant decreasing trend for recurrence according to total duration of antibiotic therapy: 34.8% (4-6 weeks [28-41 days]), 29.6% (6-8 weeks [42-55 days]), and 9.6% (≥8 weeks [≥56 days]) (P = .002). For low-risk patients, this association was still significant but the recurrence rates were much lower: 12.0% (4-6 weeks), 6.3% (6-8 weeks), and 2.2% (≥8 weeks) (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic therapy of prolonged duration (≥8 weeks) should be given to patients with HVO at high risk of recurrence. For low-risk patients, a shorter duration (6-8 weeks) of pathogen-directed antibiotic therapy may be sufficient.
Predictive Factors of Retear in Patients With Repaired Rotator Cuff Tear on Shoulder MRIYun Kyung Shin, Kyung Nam Ryu, Ji Seon Park et al.|American Journal of Roentgenology|2017 OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to find independent prognostic factors related to retear of the rotator cuff tendon in patients with repaired full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tear by evaluation of pre- and postoperative MR images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Shoulder MR images were retrospectively analyzed for 83 patients who had undergone arthroscopic or open rotator cuff repair with acromioplasty for full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tear from April 2014 to March 2015. On preoperative MR images, the type of rotator cuff tear, extent of retraction of torn tendon, anteroposterior (AP) dimension of torn tendon, signal intensity of tear edge, degree of fat infiltration in supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles, and acromiohumeral interval (AHI) were assessed. Postoperative cuff integrity seen on MR images was classified into five categories according to the Sugaya classification system, and patients were categorized into retear or intact groups. Factors assessed on preoperative MR images were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The overall retear rate was 57.8%. Significant differences were observed between the retear and intact groups in terms of the mean values of the extent of tendon retraction (20.4 vs 11.7 mm), AP dimension of the tear (16.1 vs 11.4 mm), AHI (6.8 vs 8.7 mm), and degree of fat infiltration of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles (for the supraspinatus muscle, 3, 30, and 15 patients in the retear group vs 5, 27, and three patients in the intact group had Goutallier grade 1, grade 2, and grades 3 and 4 infiltration, respectively; for the infraspinatus muscle, 27, 12, and 9 patients in the retear group vs 29, 5, and one patient in the intact group had Goutallier grade 1, grade 2, and grades 3 and 4 infiltration, respectively). Multivariable analysis revealed that AHI and degree of tendon retraction were independent predictive factors affecting retear of rotator cuff after repair. CONCLUSION: The retear rate of repaired rotator cuff tendon was about 57.8%. Independent prognostic factors of retear were degree of tendon retraction and AHI on preoperative MR images.