Serratia Sacroiliitis Secondary to Intravenous Drug Use: A Case Report.

Serratia spp. are ubiquitous, opportunistic, and infectious organisms that have historically been known to infect the upper respiratory, urinary, and circulatory systems. This manuscript presents the case of a 35-year-old White female with a past medical history of polysubstance abuse, intravenous drug use (IVDU), and poor dentition who was admitted to a community hospital with complaints of lower back pain for 10 days following the recent completion of treatment for a suspected epidural abscess. Per her report, her last IVDU with fentanyl was 11 days prior, and she admitted to using various sources of water to inject her drugs. Magnetic resonance imaging with contrast was significant for possible infectious sacroiliitis, and blood cultures grew Serratia marcescens. Due to this patient's extensive IVDU history, in-patient ceftriaxone was chosen over discharging the patient with a peripherally inserted central catheter line. Serratia spp.bacteremia with concomitant septic sacroiliitis in the setting of IVDU is an extremely rare presentation. Due to the nonspecific presentation of sacroiliitis, multidrug resistance profile of Serratia spp., and high mortality rate associated with S. marcescens sepsis, early detection and diagnosis is paramount in similar patients with extensive risk factors.

Sacroiliac and spine imaging in spondyloarthritis: Does phenotype or sex matter?

BACKGROUND: Spondyloarthritis (SpA) encompasses a spectrum of immune-mediated inflammatory conditions primarily affecting the axial skeleton, including sacroiliitis and spondylitis, each with distinct features. This study aimed to investigate imaging disparities, focusing on sacroiliac magnetic resonance and spine radiography, across phenotypes and between males and females in axial SpA. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess clinical data, laboratory findings, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scores of sacroiliac joints using the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) and Sacroiliac Joint Structural Score (SSS), and cervical and lumbar spine radiographs utilizing the Modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (mSASSS). The study aimed to compare these parameters between two groups: axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA, radiographic and non-radiographic) and axial psoriatic arthritis (axPsA), as well as between males and females. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients were included, with 62 patients in the axSpA group and 32 patients in the axPsA group. There were no differences in disease activity, mobility, radiographic damage in the spine (Modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score- mSASSS), or sacroiliac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scores (Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada Magnetic Resonance Imaging Index - SPARCC and Sacroiliac Joint Structural Score - SSS) between the two phenotypes. Regarding sex, in imaging exams, men had higher mSASSS (p = 0.008), SSS (p = 0.001), and fat metaplasia (MG) score based on SSS (p = 0.001), while women had significantly higher SPARCC scores (p = 0.039). In the male group, the presence of HLA-B27 allele had an impact on more structural lesions on MRI (SSS), p = 0.013. CONCLUSION: In this study, imaging of sacroiliac joints and spine in patients with axial SpA did not show differences in phenotypes but did reveal differences based on sex, which may have an impact on future diagnostic recommendations. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Imaging of Sacroiliac Pain: The Current State-of-the-Art.

Pain in the sacroiliac (SI) region is a common clinical manifestation, often caused by diseases involving the SI joints. This is typically due to inflammation or degenerative changes, while infections or cancer are less frequent causes. The SI joint is challenging to image accurately because of its distinct anatomical characteristics. For an accurate diagnosis, conventional radiography often needs to be supplemented with more precise methods such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT). Sacroiliitis, a common presenting feature of axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA), manifests as bone marrow edema, erosions, sclerosis, and joint space narrowing. Septic sacroiliitis and repetitive stress injuries in sports can also cause changes resembling inflammatory sacroiliitis. Other conditions, such as osteitis condensans ilii (OCI), can mimic the radiologic characteristics of sacroiliitis. Inflammatory lesions are diagnosed by concurrent erosions, hyperostosis, and ankylosis. Ligament ossifications or mechanical stress can also result in arthritic disorders. Determining the exact diagnosis can be aided by the distribution of the lesions. Inflammatory lesions can affect any part of the articulation, including the inferior and posterior portions. Mechanical lesions, such as those seen in OCI, often occur in the anterior middle region of the joint. In cases of idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, ligament ossification is found at the joint borders. This pictorial essay describes common SI joint problems, illustrated with multimodal imaging data. We, also, discuss strategies for selecting the best imaging modalities, along with imaging pitfalls, key points, and approaches for treating patients with suspected inflammatory back pain.

The Role of Corticosteroid Injections in the Treatment of Sacroiliitis: A Narrative Review.

OBJECTIVES: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic rheumatic, musculoskeletal, inflammatory disease with a propensity to present as sacroiliitis, which manifests as low back, buttock, or thigh pain. Effective primary management of axSpA requires a comprehensive approach specific to each patient and disease severity. Non-pharmacological measures form the cornerstone of treatment. With refractory disease, management also consists of local periarticular and intraarticular injections. The use of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) corticosteroid injections for the treatment of axSpA and localised inflammation, however, is a continuously burgeoning management option. This narrative review aims to present consolidated findings and summarise previously unreferenced or recently available evidence regarding corticosteroid injections to the SIJ for treating sacroiliitis and axSpA. METHODS: A comprehensive literary review with the following electronic databases was searched: MEDLINE via PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE. RESULTS: The initial search yielded a total of 126 references. After duplicates were removed and the remainder analysed for inclusion criteria, 7 studies were included. To stratify each study, injection methodology and characteristics were defined. DISCUSSION: The use of SIJ corticosteroid injections can be an appropriate and effective treatment option for refractory axSpA. The studies presented in this review reported a general trend towards a reduction in pain severity after SIJ corticosteroid injections. Because of the complexity and heterogeneity of the anatomy of the SIJ, image guidance is recommended when performing SIJ injections. Image-guided injections seem to produce better outcomes when compared to anatomic landmark-guided injections.

Posterior Sacroiliac Fusion Surgery: A Retrospective Single Center Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic sacroiliitis has variable etiologies with numerous treatments of varying efficacy. In recent years, a novel posterior approach utilizing bone matrix has been developed although to date, there is limited data in the literature regarding efficacy and safety through this approach. Benefits described include reduced adverse outcomes and quicker recovery when compared to the lateral approach. OBJECTIVE: The present investigation focused on sacroiliac joint fusion through the posterior approach and outcomes including disability, pain, and use of analgesics post-surgery. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective, single-center study was conducted evaluating safety and efficacy of sacroiliac fusion allograft implants (LinQ Implant System from PainTEQ; PsiF System from Omnia Medical). METHODS: A total of 72 posterior approach sacroiliac joint fusions were performed. Fifty-three individuals were enrolled and followed at LSU Health Shreveport as the sole investigational site between August 2020 and June 2024. Selected participant age ranged between 28 and 79 years, with a mean age of 53.4 years. The LinQ Implant System was the primary surgical hardware selected for implantation (83.0%), with the PsiF System chosen in the remaining cases. OUTCOME MEASURES: VAS Scores, disability changes, adverse outcomes, and analgesic use were compared after sacroiliac joint fusion via the posterior approach. RESULTS: Mean VAS Scores for SIJ Pain Intensity significantly decreased by 3.6 cm from a baseline score of 9.5 cm by the Specified End (June 1st, 2024). In this regard, 65.4% of patients experienced a 20% or greater improvement in pain, 38.5% of patients experienced a 50% or greater improvement in pain, and 26.9% of patients experienced a 70% or greater improvement in pain.  Zero (0) procedure-related adverse events nor intra- or post-operative complications occurred throughout the duration of the investigation. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective nature of the study without a control group. Fifty-four percent (39 of 72) completed minimum one year follow up. Further, the withdrawal rate was 26%. CONCLUSION: The results of the present investigation demonstrated effective outcomes with minimal adverse effects and improvements in disability over a three-year period in the largest single center study to date involving posterior approach sacroiliac joint fusion.

Enhancing the Diagnostic Accuracy of Sacroiliitis: A Machine Learning Approach Applied to Computed Tomography Imaging.

Aims/Background Sacroiliitis is a challenging condition to diagnose accurately due to the subtle nature of its presentation in imaging studies. This study aims to improve the diagnostic accuracy of sacroiliitis by applying advanced machine learning techniques to computed tomography (CT) images. Methods We employed five convolutional neural network (CNN) models-Visual Geometry Group 16-layer Network (VGG16), ResNet101, DenseNet, Inception-v4, and ResNeXt-50-to analyze a dataset of 830 CT images, including both sacroiliitis and non-sacroiliitis cases. Each model's performance was evaluated using metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC), and Area Under the Curve (AUC). The interpretability of the models' decisions was enhanced using Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) visualization. Results The ResNeXt-50 and Inception-v4 models demonstrated superior performance, achieving the highest accuracy and F1 scores among the tested models. Grad-CAM visualizations offered insights into the decision-making processes, highlighting the models' focus on relevant anatomical features critical for accurate diagnosis. Conclusion The use of CNN models, particularly ResNeXt-50 and Inception-v4, significantly improves the diagnosis of sacroiliitis from CT images. These models not only provide high diagnostic accuracy but also offer transparency in their decision-making processes, aiding clinicians in understanding and trusting Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven diagnostics.

Sacroiliitis in familial Mediterranean fever: A rare joint involvement of the disease.

AIM: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a monogenic autoinflammatory disease characterised by recurrent episodes of fever and polyserositis. Sacroiliac joint involvement is rare in FMF patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the demographic, clinical, laboratory and imaging findings of patients with FMF who developed sacroiliitis. METHODS: The files of paediatric patients aged 0-18 years who were followed up with a diagnosis of FMF were retrospectively reviewed. FMF patients with evidence of sacroiliitis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included in the study. RESULTS: Among 1062 FMF patients, 22 (12 males; median age 8.5) (2.1%) of them were found to have sacroiliitis. FMF was diagnosed before sacroiliitis in nine (40.9%) patients and after in 13 (59.1%) patients. The most common symptom in patients with sacroiliitis was low back pain (n = 21, 95.5%). In MEFV gene analysis, M694V was found in 16 (72.7%) patients and was the most common mutation. MRI showed evidence of sacroiliitis in all patients. All patients were using colchicine. Patients with FMF-associated sacroiliitis, remission was achieved with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in 12 (54.5%), conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in six (27.3%) and tumour necrosis factor inhibitor treatment in four (31.8%). Four (31.8%) patients experienced sacroiliitis when colchicine incompatible and four (31.8%) patients experienced sacroiliitis while using biologic agents for colchicine-resistant FMF. CONCLUSIONS: FMF-associated sacroiliitis should be considered especially in patients with M694V mutation if they have symptoms such as low back pain. Colchicine-resistant FMF patients should be evaluated for sacroiliitis symptoms at each visit.

An Unusual Mimic of Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Case Report.

Axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a chronic inflammatory condition predominantly affecting the sacroiliac joints and spine, typically presenting before the age of 45 years with inflammatory back pain. However, diagnostic challenges arise when atypical features and negative autoimmune markers obscure the clinical picture. We present a case of a male in his 40s with no significant medical history, presenting with a three-month history of inflammatory back pain. Despite negative human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27) status, clinical examination, including positive findings on the FABER (flexion, abduction, and external rotation) test and exaggerated muscle tenderness, raised suspicion of axial SpA. An MRI of the pelvis confirmed bilateral symmetrical sacroiliitis, supporting the diagnosis. Unexpectedly, further investigations revealed a very low vitamin D level, normal calcium levels, and elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH), suggesting secondary hyperparathyroidism. A subsequent PET scan disclosed increased uptake posterior to the right lobe of the thyroid, prompting consideration of secondary hyperparathyroidism due to severe vitamin D deficiency. Treatment with vitamin D supplementation and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs yielded remarkable improvement in symptoms, with normal repeat blood investigations post-treatment. This case underscores the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach in patients with inflammatory back pain, especially when classical markers such as HLA-B27 are negative. It highlights the potential interplay between axial SpA and secondary hyperparathyroidism, emphasizing the need for vigilance and interdisciplinary collaboration in clinical practice.

Determining Diagnostic Sensitivity: A Comparison of Rose Bengal Test, Coombs Gel Test, ELISA and Bacterial Culture in Brucellosis Diagnosis-Analyzing Clinical Effectiveness in Light of Inflammatory Markers.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease. It is estimated that the number of cases reported today is much less than the actual number. We still have difficulty in diagnosing the disease and its organ involvement. In this sense, new approaches that can be useful in clinical practice are required, and we aimed to evaluate this situation in our study. METHODS: 171 of 213 patients followed in our center between January 2021 and April 2024 were included in the study. A total of 150 patients were included in the study as a control group. Rose Bengal test (RBT), Coombs gel test (CGT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and automated blood culture were used for diagnosing brucellosis. Complete blood count, sedimentation, C-reactive protein, and biochemical parameters were obtained. Inflammation markers such as neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, systemic immune-inflammation index, and systemic inflammation response index were calculated. RESULTS: The most successful results in the diagnosis were ELISA (89.4%), RBT (88.3%), CGT (83%), and blood culture (34.8%). For diagnosing sacroiliitis and spondylodiscitis, instead of resorting to expensive methods like magnetic resonance, a combination of ELISA positivity with elevated acute phase reactants and inflammatory markers could be significantly instructive. CONCLUSIONS: Optimizing diagnostic algorithms and exploring novel diagnostic approaches, such as inflammatory markers, hold promise for improving diagnosis and management.

T2* cartilage mapping in early axial spondyloarthritis: diagnostic accuracy and correlation with clinical characteristics, sacroiliitis MRI scorings, and diffusion metrics.

PURPOSE: To determine the performance of T2* cartilage mapping in diagnosing and assessing disease activity in early axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), and to investigate the interaction of cartilage damage with clinical characteristics, sacroiliitis MRI scorings, and diffusion metrics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 83 axSpA patients and 37 no-axSpA patients. Clinical characteristics, the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society-defined active sacroiliitis on MRI, and T2* SIJs values were recorded. In axSpA, disease activity was evaluated using the ankylosing spondylitis disease activity score-C-reactive protein; active sacroiliitis was evaluated using Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada, intravoxel incoherent motion, and diffusion kurtosis imaging; chronic sacroiliitis was assessed using composite structural damage score (CSDS) and structural score fat. Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test with false discovery rate (FDR), ROC curve, and linear regression were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: AxSpA patients had significantly higher T2*SIJs values than no-axSpA patients. (22.86 ± 2.42 ms vs 20.36 ± 1.30 ms, p < 0.001). The combination of T2*SIJs values and active sacroiliitis on MRI had the highest AUC for identifying axSpA. T2*SIJs values were significantly different between the inactive and very high, moderate and very high, high and very high, as well as inactive and high disease activity groups (all pFDR < 0.05). Dk (ß = 0.48) and CSDS (ß = 0.48) were independently associated with T2*SIJs values. CONCLUSION: T2* values may be a promising biomarker for diagnosing and differentiating disease activity in early axSpA. Both acute and chronic sacroiliitis influence cartilage properties. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Sacroiliac joint cartilage abnormalities can be quantified with T2* relaxation time and allow better characterization of early axSpA. KEY POINTS: T2* mapping may have value in evaluating axSpA. The combination of T2* values and active sacroiliitis on MRI enhances diagnostic performance for axSpA. Abnormalities measured with T2* values correlate with disease activity, acute sacroiliitis, and degree of structural damage.

MRI predictors of infectious etiology in patients with unilateral sacroiliitis.

BACKGROUND: Unilateral presentation of sacroiliitis is a diagnostic dilemma, especially between infection and inflammatory sacroiliitis associated with spondyloarthritis, requiring an early and accurate diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: To assess the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in differentiating infective versus inflammatory etiology in unilateral sacroiliitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of the MRI of 90 patients with unilateral sacroiliitis, having an established final diagnosis. MR images were evaluated for various bone and soft tissue changes using predefined criteria and analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the 90 patients, infective etiology was diagnosed in 66 (73.3%) and inflammatory etiology in 24 (26.7%). Large erosions, both iliac and sacral-sided edema, joint space involvement with effusion or synovitis, soft tissue edema, elevated ESR/CRP, and absence of capsulitis and enthesitis were associated with infection (p < .001). The independently differentiating variables favoring infection on multivariate analysis were-both iliac and sacral-sided edema (OR 4.79, 95% CI: 0.96-23.81, p = .05), large erosions (OR 17.96, 95% CI: 2.66-121.02, p = .003), and joint space involvement (OR 9.9, 95% CI: 1.36-72.06, p = .02). Exclusive features of infection were osteomyelitis, sequestra, abscesses, sinus tracts, large erosions, and multifocality. All infective cases had soft tissue edema, joint space involvement, elevated ESR, and no capsulitis. CONCLUSION: MRI evaluation for the presence and pattern of bone and joint space involvement, soft tissue involvement, and careful attention to certain exclusive features will aid in differentiating infectious sacroiliitis from inflammatory sacroiliitis.

[Coexistence of familial Mediterranean fever and seronegative spondyloarthritis: peculiarities of the course].

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disease distributed among populations of Mediterranean origin - Armenians, Sephardi Jews, Arabs, Turks. There are numerous clinical observations regarding combination of FMF, as a classical representative of autoinflammatory diseases, with systemic diseases of connective tissue. Seronegative spondyloarthritis (SpA) are the most interesting disorders from this point of view, as far as sacroiliitis - an essential feature of SpA, may also present as a part of joint syndrome in FMF. The main objective of this clinical study was the investigation of the peculiarities of courses of FMF and SpA in case of their coexistence. We studied 126 patients with FMF, SpA and coexistence of both. According to results, patients with the overlap of FMF with SpA had relatively milder course of disease in comparison with each disease separately. Comparative clinical and instrumental characteristics of FMF-associated disorders had shown that in FMF-SpA overlap the symptoms of both diseases are less severe.

Case report: A case of piriformis pyomyositis and pyogenic sacroiliitis due to non-typhoidal Salmonella bacteremia in an immunocompetent healthy adult.

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) rarely causes bacteremia and subsequent focal infections as an extraintestinal complication, even in immunocompetent adults. A 25-year-old man was hospitalized for several days with difficulty moving due to fever, acute buttock pain, and shivering. He had no recent or current respiratory symptoms and no clear gastrointestinal symptoms. Physical examination revealed mild redness around the left buttock and difficulty raising the left lower extremity due to pain, in addition to which blood tests showed high levels of inflammatory markers. His clinical course and laboratory findings suggested sepsis, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a high-intensity area in the left piriformis muscle on diffusion-weighted imaging; therefore, acute piriformis pyomyositis was strongly suggested. Cephazolin was started upon hospitalization; however, blood and stool cultures proved positive for NTS, and the antibiotics were changed to ceftriaxone. Follow-up MRI showed a signal in the left piriformis muscle and newly developed left pyogenic sacroiliitis. On the 25th hospital day, a colonoscopy was performed to identify the portal of entry for bacteremia, which revealed a longitudinal ulcer in the sigmoid colon in the healing process. His buttock pain gradually improved, and the antibiotics were switched to oral levofloxacin, which enabled him to continue treatment in an outpatient setting. Finally, the patient completed seven weeks of antimicrobial therapy and returned to daily life without leaving any residual disability. Invasive NTS infection due to bacteremia is rare among immunocompetent adults. Piriformis pyomyositis and subsequent pyogenic sacroiliitis should be added to the differential diagnosis of acute febrile buttock pain. In the case of NTS bacteremia, the entry site must be identified for source control. Additionally, the background of the host, especially in such an immunocompetent case, needs to be clarified; therefore, the patient should be closely examined.

Effective diagnosis of sacroiliitis in children: evaluating magnetic resonance imaging with the Canadian scoring system.

OBJECTIVES: To reveal the differences by comparing the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of patients with clinically symptomatic sacroiliitis with those undergoing sacroiliac imaging for other reasons using the Canadian Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium-Sacroiliac Inflammatory Scoring System (SPARCC-SIS). METHODS: In this retrospective single-center study, sacroiliac MRIs performed between 2017 and 2023 were evaluated from the database. The SPARCC-SIS scoring system is used to evaluate and grade the inflammation of the sacroiliac joints. Mild inflammation is indicated by a score below 24, moderate by a score of 24-48, and severe by a score above 49. Additionally, structural defects of the sacroiliac joint, such as erosion, sclerosis, and ankylosis, were observed. After MRI evaluation, clinically symptomatic (group 1) and non-symptomatic (group 2) patients were divided into two groups. The clinical and laboratory findings of the patients and MRI findings were compared. The patient's age, gender, clinical information from hospital records, acute phase reactants (APRs), and the presence of the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA-B27) gene (if applicable) were thoroughly recorded. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-six children who performed sacroiliac MRI for any indication were included in the study. The APRs positivity, presence of HLA-B27, and SPARCC scoring system were significantly higher in 24 patients with clinical sacroiliitis (group 1) than in 112 patients without sacroiliitis (group 2). In our study, the most common MRI findings in children were bone marrow edema, capsulitis, synovitis, and erosion, while chronic structural changes such as sclerosis and ankylosing were rare. CONCLUSION: In this study, the SPARCC scoring method, which shows the severity of sacroiliac joint inflammation, correlates with the clinical diagnosis of sacroiliitis. In cases with suspected sacroiliitis, except for extraordinary reasons, it can be evaluated with MRI without contrast material and can be graded to guide the clinician in treatment and approach.

American Society of Pain and Neuroscience Best Practice (ASPN) Guideline for the Treatment of Sacroiliac Disorders.

Clinical management of sacroiliac disease has proven challenging from both diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives. Although it is widely regarded as a common source of low back pain, little consensus exists on the appropriate clinical management of sacroiliac joint pain and dysfunction. Understanding the biomechanics, innervation, and function of this complex load bearing joint is critical to formulating appropriate treatment algorithms for SI joint disorders. ASPN has developed this comprehensive practice guideline to serve as a foundational reference on the appropriate management of SI joint disorders utilizing the best available evidence and serve as a foundational guide for the treatment of adult patients in the United States and globally.

Brucellar arthritis and sacroiliitis: an 8-year retrospective comparative analysis of demographic, clinical, and paraclinical features.

Introduction: Brucellosis is a common global zoonotic disease with a wide range of complex and nonspecific clinical manifestations that may lead to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. Osteoarticular involvement is the most common complaint in brucellosis. Objective: This present study aims to describe the clinical and laboratory characteristics and treatment of brucellosis patients with arthritis and sacroiliitis. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was performed on patients presenting to a teaching hospital in Kermanshah, Iran with a diagnosis of brucellosis from 2011 to 2019. The demographic and clinical characteristics, complications, laboratory findings, and treatment were recorded during the study period. Then, the difference in the collected data was investigated between brucellosis patients with and without arthritis or sacroiliitis. Results: Of 425 patients studied, 130 (30.58%) had osteoarticular involvement. Among them, 41 (9.64%) and 58 (13.6%) patients were diagnosed with arthritis and sacroiliitis, respectively. There were no significant demographic differences between patients with and without brucellar arthritis or sacroiliitis (p > 0.05). The patients with Brucella arthritis had a significantly higher frequency of arthralgia and radiculopathy (p ⩽ 0.05). Sacroiliitis was significantly more common in patients with arthralgia, neck pain, and low back pain, positive flexion-abduction-external rotation (FABER) test, radiculopathy, and vertebral tenderness compared to patients without sacroiliitis (p ⩽ 0.05), while fever and headache were significantly more common in patients without sacroiliitis (p ⩽ 0.05). The median Wright and 2-Mercapto Ethanol titers were higher in brucellosis patients with arthritis or sacroiliitis versus patients without arthritis or sacroiliitis, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). Synovial fluid had been analyzed in 20 cases. The mean white blood cell count, glucose, and protein level were 3461 ± 2.70 cells/mm3, 58.54 ± 31.43 mg/dL, and 8.6 ± 11.85 g/dL, respectively. In 80% of the subjects, neutrophil cells were predominant. There were no significant laboratory differences between patients with and without brucellar arthritis or sacroiliitis, except for a higher median platelet count in patients with arthritis and higher median levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in patients with sacroiliitis. Most cases of arthritis and sacroiliitis were diagnosed with ultrasound (31.8%) and FABER test (79.3%), respectively. Conclusion: Arthritis and sacroiliitis were the two most important and common manifestations of brucellar osteoarthritis with a frequency of 9.64% and 13.6%, respectively. Any complaints of low back pain and radiculopathy as well as the presence of spondylitis in patients should raise suspicion of sacroiliitis. High levels of AST and ALP and a high platelet count may be associated with brucellar sacroiliitis and arthritis, respectively. The use of imaging methods such as MRI and bone scan seems necessary for the diagnosis of sacroiliitis.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Antibiotic Therapy in Non-responsive Sacroiliitis: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Sacroiliitis, characterized by inflammation of the sacroiliac joints, poses significant challenges in management, especially in patients unresponsive to standard therapies like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and physical therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of antibiotic therapy in such patients, addressing a critical gap in the current treatment approach. METHODS: A total of 360 patients with lower back pain who presented to the outpatient department (OPD) of the Department of Orthopedics of a medical college in Northern India for six months were included in this study. With meticulous history taking, clinical examination, and radiological evaluation, 59 patients were diagnosed with sacroiliitis, out of which 31 were males and 28 were females, aged between 20 and 40 years, and were enrolled in this cross-sectional comparative study. Patients were divided into two groups: a control group (21 patients) receiving conventional treatment without antibiotics and a study group (38 patients) receiving conventional treatment plus antibiotics (who gave consent for treatment with antibiotics). The primary outcome was assessed using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, with evaluations conducted at baseline, one month, and three months. Recovery rates were also calculated. SPSS trial software version 27 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Both groups exhibited improvement in JOA scores over time. At the one-month and three-month follow-ups, the mean JOA scores and recovery rates showed no statistically significant difference between the control and study groups (p-values > 0.05). Adverse effects related to antibiotic use were not significant. CONCLUSION: The study concludes that the addition of antibiotics to the conventional treatment regimen for sacroiliitis does not provide significant benefit in terms of functional recovery or pain relief in patients non-responsive to NSAIDs and/or physical therapy. These findings underscore the importance of a targeted treatment approach based on the specific etiology of sacroiliitis and caution against unnecessary antibiotic use.

Prevalence of Classical Extraintestinal Manifestations among Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Single Tertiary Center Experience.

Background: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may also experience extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs), which can affect various organ systems, and their occurrence is based on disease activity. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of EIMs and their most common types among IBD patients from Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included all IBD patients aged 14-80 years who visited the Gastroenterology and Hepatology clinics at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, between February 2017 and December 2022. The collected data included demographic characteristics, disease characteristics, EIMs, and treatment. Results: The study included 578 IBD patients, of which 65 (11.2%) had at least one EIM, with primary sclerosing cholangitis (46.2%) and sacroiliitis (16.9%) being the most common. Patients with ulcerative colitis were more likely to have EIMs than those with Crohn's disease (15.1% vs. 9%; P = 0.026). Patients with ileocolonic (L3) Crohn's disease reported a higher prevalence of EIMs (7.5%) than those with other disease locations (P = 0.012), while in patients with ulcerative colitis, those with extensive colitis (E3) reported higher prevalence of EIMs (19.2%) (P = 0.001). Patients receiving 6 MP had a significantly high prevalence of EIMs (P = 0.014). Conclusion: The prevalence of extraintestinal manifestations among IBD patients in Saudi Arabia is 11.2%. These findings suggest the need for clinicians to screen for EIMs and manage them early. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying EIMs for the development of more effective treatments.

Use of Multimodality Imaging in the Evaluation of Patients With Spondyloarthropathies and Sacroiliitis.

Spondyloarthropathy (SpA) is one of the most common causes of low back pain. It is caused by inflammatory arthritis in the spine, manifesting in various forms such as psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and sacroiliitis. A comprehensive systematic literature search was done to evaluate and compare MRI, CT, single-photon emission CT, PET, ultrasound (US) imaging, low-dose CT, and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) techniques in assessing SpAs. The search strategy was constructed by an analysis of key terms from relevant articles in MEDLINE ProQuest, Embase, and PubMed. The key terms used to search for these articles were "SpA," "sacroiliitis," "spondylitis," "psoriatic arthritis," "MRI," "CT scan," "x-ray," "magnetic resonance imaging," "computed tomography," "bone density," and "ultrasound." A total of 1,131 articles published in English between January 1, 2003, and October 15, 2023 were identified and screened for eligibility by members of the research team, which resulted in 69 total articles selected for the final review. US has played an important role in visualizing joint inflammation and enthesitis (inflammation of the enthesis), which are common features of PsA. Although MRI and CT are considered more reliable modalities for diagnosing active sacroiliitis, US imaging with Doppler flow can also be useful in conjunction with CT images to visualize abnormal blood flow in the sacroiliac joints, as well as other joints affected by inflammatory arthritis. MRI provides increased diagnostic confidence in the diagnosis of sacroiliitis in active AS patients when compared to CT. CT is more sensitive than plain radiographs. The PET activity score showed a good correlation in diagnosing inflammatory sacroiliitis but lacked in identifying structural lesions. CT has high diagnostic accuracy, but it exposes patients to a high radiation dose. MRI visualizes joint and tissue inflammation, bone, and bone marrow change and can identify peripheral inflammation in soft tissue and joints in patients diagnosed with PsA. MRI can also visualize bone marrow changes and subchondral edema, which can aid in the early diagnosis of ankylosing SpA and gauge disease severity. DWI and short-tau inversion recovery imaging are both MRI techniques used in detecting sacroiliitis. MRI and CT are shown to be reliable imaging modalities for the diagnosis of sacroiliitis; however, it was found that Doppler US played an accurate role in the diagnosis as well. MRI visualizes joints and tissue with the most precision, making it useful in evaluating patients with PsA, while PET CT is useful in the diagnosis of inflammatory sacroiliitis patients. There is limited literature available comparing the multiple modalities of imaging available for each SpA. The review's objective is to analyze imaging findings in patients diagnosed with sacroiliitis and SpAs. The findings in this literature review are valuable for properly assessing and diagnosing patients suffering from SpAs.

Piriformis syndrome as an overlooked cause of pain in a patient with axial spondyloarthritis: a case report.

Piriformis syndrome is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by hip, buttock, and leg pain. Axial spondyloarthritis is a rheumatic disease primarily affecting the sacroiliac joint and the spine. Due to their anatomical proximity, the potential relationship between piriformis syndrome and sacroiliitis has been discussed for some time. However, literature review revealed that there is no study on piriformis syndrome in individuals with axial spondyloarthritis. Here, we present the case of a 30-year-old female with axial spondyloarthritis who developed severe low back, hip, and buttock pain that persisted despite initial treatment for axial spondyloarthritis. We first re-evaluated her condition through physical examination, magnetic resonance imaging, and an injection test for piriformis syndrome. Following a comprehensive assessment, the patient was diagnosed with both axial spondyloarthritis and piriformis syndrome. Subsequently, a tailored treatment plan was devised, addressing both conditions, and after a 3-month course of treatment, we obtained significant reduction in pain of the patient. This is the first case report in literature, where we used injection test to confirm the diagnosis of the piriformis syndrome in a patient with axial spondyloarthritis. We therefore strongly advocate considering piriformis syndrome as a potential etiology for pain in individuals with axial spondyloarthritis consistently. This recognition is important as piriformis syndrome does not respond adequately to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and may lead to unnecessary use of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Timely identification and intervention are imperative in ensuring optimal patient care.