Complications more common in children with long-bone subperiosteal abscess

Children with subperiosteal abscesses (SAs) in the long bones are more likely to have subsequent complications than those with SAs in flat bones, suggests a study.

Fourteen paediatric patients with SAs were analysed and had their clinical data recorded. Clinical information included age at diagnosis, interval (days) between symptom onset and diagnosis, SA location (long/flat bone), pathogens (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA]/non-MRSA), treatment period (days), and any subsequent complications.

The authors classified patients based on SAs with or without complications. They used Mann-Whitney U and Fisher exact tests for statistical analyses and expressed data as median and interquartile range.

Of the patients, six (42.9 percent) had subsequent complications. Significant differences were noted in SA locations between those with and without complications (long/flat bone with vs without complications: 6/0 vs 3/5; p=0.031). 

No significant between-group differences were seen in terms of age (with vs without complications: 13.8 vs 556.3 months; p=0.491), interval between symptoms onset and diagnosis (with vs without complications: 5 vs 5 days; p=0.950), pathogenesis (MRSA/non-MRSA with vs without complications: 4/2 vs 2/6; p=0.277), and treatment period (with vs without complications: 50.5 vs 29 days; p=0.108).

“Physicians should carefully manage this vulnerable (long bone SA) patient group,” the authors said.

SA is an osteomyelitis complication that requires surgical intervention.