Osteitis describes an inflammation of the bone and is most commonly caused by infection, metabolic abnormalities or trauma.
Presentation
Presenting signs and symptoms of osteomyelitics include fatigue and irritability in children, fever, chills, pain, erythema, edema and warmth around the infected area. In rare cases, osteomyelitis may be asymptomatic and may be difficult to distinguish from other diseases.
Most patients with osteitis deformans are mostly asymptomatic and are diagnosed incidentally with an X-ray performed for another cause or when high calcium levels are being investigated. Patients can generally complain from an increased risk of fractures, a noticed decrease in height, bone pain associated with warm skin over the affected area, headache, neck pain, arthralgia with joint stiffness, bone deformities (particularly bowing of the legs), hearing loss and skull deformities, chiefly manifested with an enlarged head.
Osteitis pubis presents with bilateral or unilateral progressive pain around the groin area. The pain may also be localized in the lower abdomen or the pelvis and is usually elicited by palpation over the pubic bone. In the most extreme cases, the patient may limp from the pain.
Entire Body System
- Pain
At each control visit the number of present symptoms and signs of AO was recorded, as well as the level of pain (measured with a visual analogue scale). [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Osteitis Pubis is commonly directly related to Lower Back Pain and Hip Pain due to the compensation that occurs throughout the hips and pelvis. [musculartherapy.com.au]
Management of severe lower abdominal or inguinal pain in high-performance athletes. PAIN (Performing Athletes with Abdominal or Inguinal Neuromuscular Pain Study Group). Am J Sports Med 2000; 28:2. McMurtry CT, Avioli LV. [scottsdalesportsmedicine.com]
Do not do any of the exercises above if they cause pain at the time or increase pain after doing them. If this occurs, it is likely that you need some hands on and realignment work before starting on a rehabilitation programme. [cspc.co.uk]
Her medical history revealed that she was in postpartum period and her pain had increased gradually after the parturition. On physical examination bilateral hip joint movements were painful. [morressier.com]
- Severe Pain
Osteomyelitis can cause severe pain in the infected bone. [icd9data.com]
Osteitis Pubis is serious injury of the pubic symphysis or pubis symphysis causing mild to severe pain and tissue damage of the lower pelvis. [hxbenefit.com]
Using a BP cuff may demonstrate a squeeze To grade severity: pain on passive abduction pain/weakness with resisted adduction pain on squeeze test pain on resisted hip flexion adductor muscle guarding on passive abduction/ER pain on resisted flexion/adduction [bsems.com.au]
[…] perforation, pelvic instability, and severe pain not responding to antibiotic treatment. 20, 21 Our patient clearly had osteomyelitis, as we found infection with a staphylococcal species. [bjsm.bmj.com]
Introduction Alveolar osteitis (AO), also known as dry socket, is one of the most common post‐operative complications following removal of permanent teeth, resulting in severe pain and discomfort for the patient. [onlinelibrary.wiley.com]
- Collapse
Asymptomatic chronic rhinosinusitis with osteitis and gradual collapse of the maxillary sinus cavity can be anticipated. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Involvement of the spine and skull is also seen and may lead to vertebral collapse and secondary cervical spine fusion. Heterotopic ossification may occur around hip and proximal femur. [cancertherapyadvisor.com]
Respiratoric
- Sneezing
[…] commonly over the pubic symphysis Reduced flexibility in the hip and groin region Muscular pain, commonly the adductor muscles Pain with sport and physical activity Pain with general activities of daily living, including walking and using stairs Pain with sneeze [physioproperth.com.au]
Sneezing or coughing, transferring from sitting to standing positions, and lying on one side can also exacerbate the pain. Clicking or popping may also occur at the joint upon walking or strenuous movements. [pamelamorrisonpt.com]
You experience pain when coughing, sneezing, or using abductor muscles. There may be a popping or clicking sound when you rise from a seated position or when walking. You experience weakness or a loss of mobility and flexibility. [intermountainhealthcare.org]
Coughing, sneezing and performing a sit up will reproduce pain. This athlete is often unable to lie flat on their back or prone. Bone scan will highlight advanced uptake at the pubis symphysis. [physioworks.com.au]
Gastrointestinal
- Polydipsia
Fractures are most commonly localized in the arms, legs, or spine.[2][3] The addition of weight loss, appetite loss, vomiting, polyuria, and polydipsia to the aforementioned symptoms may indicate that OFC is the result of parathyroid carcinoma.[4] Parathyroid [en.wikipedia.org]
Musculoskeletal
- Fracture
Vertebroplasty and vertebral kyphoplasty are increasingly performed to treat vertebral fractures, most notably those related to osteoporosis. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
There may be fractures (breaks) in the arms, legs, or spine, or other bone problems. [medlineplus.gov]
- Osteoporosis
Vertebroplasty and vertebral kyphoplasty are increasingly performed to treat vertebral fractures, most notably those related to osteoporosis. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Paget disease is NOT associated specifically with osteoporosis. Although Paget disease and osteoporosis can occur in one and the same person, they are completely different disorders. [medicinenet.com]
People with hyperparathyroidism are more likely to have osteopenia (thin bones) or osteoporosis (very thin bones) than to have full-blown osteitis fibrosa. [medlineplus.gov]
- Bone Pain
Complications of osteitis fibrosa include any of the following: Bone fractures Deformities of bone Pain Problems due to hyperparathyroidism, such as kidney stones and kidney failure Call your health care provider if you have bone pain, tenderness, or [medlineplus.gov]
[…] health care provider if you have bone pain, tenderness, or symptoms of hyperparathyroidism. [ufhealth.org]
Osteitis deformans occurs most frequently in the pelvic and leg bones, skull, and lower spine. It is most common in older individuals, and may lead to bone pain, deformities, and fractures. Also called Paget disease of bone. [cancer.gov]
Snapshot A 56-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician with bone pain in her hips, constipation, and anxiety. [medbullets.com]
- Arthralgia
Patients can generally complain from an increased risk of fractures, a noticed decrease in height, bone pain associated with warm skin over the affected area, headache, neck pain, arthralgia with joint stiffness, bone deformities (particularly bowing [symptoma.com]
- Knee Pain
"Bilateral knee pain with hyperparathyroidism". Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 95 (3): 134–6. doi:10.1258/jrsm.95.3.134. PMC 1279482. PMID 11872764. ^ a b c d e f g h Gupta, Anju; Horattas, Mark C.; Moattari, Ali Reza; Shorten, Scott D. [en.wikipedia.org]
Urogenital
- Kidney Failure
Complications of osteitis fibrosa include any of the following: Bone fractures Deformities of bone Pain Problems due to hyperparathyroidism, such as kidney stones and kidney failure Call your health care provider if you have bone pain, tenderness, or [medlineplus.gov]
Possible Complications Complications of osteitis fibrosa include any of the following: Bone fractures Deformities of bone Pain Problems due to hyperparathyroidism, such as kidney stones and kidney failure When to Contact a Medical Professional Call your [ufhealth.org]
A predictive model for progression of chronic kidney disease to kidney failure. JAMA. 2011 Apr 20. 305(15):1553-9. [Medline]. Wolfe RA, Ashby VB, Milford EL, Ojo AO, Ettenger RE, Agodoa LY, et al. [medscape.com]
Neurologic
- Unable to Walk
I was in a bit of a dark place one day, suffering cabin fever and unable to walk without pain even upstairs to put Sonny down for his naps, (holding his delicious, pudgy frame was “unadvisable” in general because it inflamed things … I’m all like, yo, [zotheysay.com]
Workup
Workup of infectious osteitis starts with a focused physical exam that may show tenderness, erythema and edema in surrounding areas close to the bone. When a high index of suspicion is present, additional radiologic and blood tests may be performed and they include: bone X-ray, bone scan, bone MRI, blood cultures, needle aspiration of areas around the affected bone, blood cultures, complete blood count (CBC), measurement of C-reactive protein levels (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
Osteitis deformans can be diagnosed with a bone x-ray or a bone scan, in addition to blood tests that show elevation in serum calcium, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and markers for bone breakdown such as N-telopeptide.
A thorough physical exam is critical for the diagnosis of osteitis pubis. Imaging modalities such as X-ray, CT-scan and MRI can also be useful in establishing the diagnosis. X-ray images will generally show evidence of joint irregularity, manifested by erosion and sclerosis in the subchondral regions that can develop ultimately into ankylosis. These changes, nonetheless, only appear after four weeks from the initial symptoms. MRI is beneficial in determining the presence of bone edema, particularly in the early stages of the disease. Finally, a bone scan may display increased signal in the pubis symphysis although it can also be negative.
Microbiology
- Pseudomonas
Some patients describe localized pain about one month after surgery, and these patients may be found to have infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (most commonly), Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus. [aafp.org]
Pseudomonas osteomyelitis of the symphysis pubis after inguinal hernia repair. Clin Rheumatol 1999 ; 18 : 167 –9. ↵ Barry NN, McGuire JL. Acute injuries and specific problems in adult athletes. [bjsm.bmj.com]
Not only does the facial nerve get compressed by granulations, but also it is affected by neurotoxins produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 12 This illustrates the importance of medical treatment as opposed to surgical decompression. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli have also been reported. Epidemiology United States statistics The exact frequency for osteitis pubis in the United States is difficult to estimate. [emedicine.medscape.com]
Dose-dependent effects of topical tobramycin in an animal model of Pseudomonas sinusitis. Am J Rhinol 2007; 21:423–427. 7. Kennedy DW, Senior BA, Gannon FH, et al. Histology and histomorphometry of ethmoid bone in chronic rhinosinusitis. [journals.lww.com]
Treatment
Antibiotics are the cornerstone of treatment for infectious osteitis. Frequently, more than one antibiotic at a time may be required and long term IV treatment over at least 4 to 6 weeks is necessary. Surgery can sometimes be used to complement antibiotic treatment, particularly if there are metal plates near the site of infection requiring removal. Diabetic patients frequently develop infections due to poor blood supply and may require vascular surgery to improve blood perfusion to infected areas.
Osteitis deformans is usually not treated if it is asymptomatic or if it only manifests with abnormalities in laboratory tests. Treatment is indicated in case of involvement of weight bearing bone, development of bone deformities, bone pain, bone changes that are progressing rapidly and thus increasing the risk of fractures and if the skull is affected because of the risk of hearing loss if treatment is not administered. Osteitis deformans is usually treated with either bisphophonates or calcitonin. Bisphosphonates can be taken orally or parenterally and work by decreasing bone remodeling. Calciton is a hormone involved in bone metabolism and can be administered as subcutaneous injections (calcimar or mithracin) or as a nasal spray (miacalcin). Pain associated with osteitis deformans successfully responds to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or paracetamol.
Osteitis pubis is only treated if symptoms are present. Ice and medications are first line choices to lessen the accompanying inflammation. Activities that increase the pain should be eliminated, and patients are advised to undergo strengthening and stretching exercises. Corticosteroids in the form of injections or pills may be useful in reducing the inflammation. Patients should not return to sporting activity until symptoms completely resolve. Resistant cases may require surgery, by fusing or cleaning the joint.
Prognosis
Patients with osteomyelitis have a favorable prognosis when adequately treated. Those who develop chronic osteomyelitis tend to fare worse and suffer from a high rate of recurrence of symptoms despite repeated surgeries. Diabetic patients may have to undergo amputations due to impaired blood circulation.
Most patients with Osteitis deformans have a good prognosis and their condition can be controlled with medication, although there is a higher risk for osteosarcomas and some patients will require surgery to replace damaged joints.
Osteitis pubis has a good prognosis, with most patients able to fully recover with adequate treatment and physiotherapy. In most cases recovery time is around a few weeks but severe cases can require up to 6 months.
Etiology
Infectious osteitis may result from either direct inoculation of the bone with bacteria, contiguous spread from nearby infected structures or transfer of bacteria from distant locations through the blood. Hematogenous spread can be caused by a seemingly benign skin infection, IV drug use or a more serious condition such as endocarditis. IV drug abuse particularly targets vertebra and the long bones [1].
The cause of osteitis deformans remains unclear. It can be transmitted genetically in an autosomal dominant fashion but with variable penetrance. Patients tend to have an increased level of IgM proteins and the disease has been linked to infections with certain viruses. Environmental factors are also thought to be involved, particularly exposure to arsenic, dogs, cattle and other pets, although many of these associations remain controversial [2].
On the other hand, abnormalities in joints, muscles and flexibility are thought to underlie osteitis pubis. These result in high shearing forces and cumulative microtraumas over the pubis symphysis, ultimately leading to inflammatory reactions and muscle spasms. Osteitis pubis is also associated with surgeries of the reproductive and urinary tracts, trauma, childbirth, rheumatologic disease or performance of certain athletic activities such as running, football and tennis [3].
Epidemiology
Infectious osteitis is responsible for about 50,000 hospital admissions in the United States [4]. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains a significant cause for nosocomial infections and targets especially diabetics, immunocompromised patients and IV drug users.
Osteitis deformans is thought to occur in 3.5% of individuals older than 45 years in the United States. Its incidence has been consistently decreasing but it remains one of the major chronic bone remodeling disorders. The disease targets men and women equally, has no predilection for a certain ethnic group and tends to affect older individuals, with a mean age of onset of 55 years [5].
Osteitis pubis is thought to be about 5 times more prevalent in men than women, although the exact incidence and prevalence are difficult to estimate. It may also be more common in Europe than the United States because of the popularity of soccer [6].
Pathophysiology
The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying acute osteomyelitis include vascular compromise to the bone tissue, combined with edema and thrombosis of small vessels. There is loss of adequate blood supply in the early stages to nearby soft tissue followed by a further spread into medullary and periosteal areas. The process manifests on the longer term with chronic inflammatory cells and fibrous tissue surrounding dead bone along with granulation tissue [7]. The progression of the infection can be successfully arrested with aggressive and timely treatment with antibiotics and, occasionally, surgery.
Osteitis deformans is due to metabolic abnormalities in born resorption and formation. The first stage of the disease involves increased metabolic activities of the osteoclasts, the cell line normally responsible for bone resorption. Abnormal osteoclasts, characterized by an increase in size, activity, quantity and excess nuclei, create large cavities in bony structures that are subsequently filled with ostebolasts and fibrotic tissue. In the second stage, osteoblasts start a process of bone formation to replace lost bone caused by osteoclast resorption. The newly formed bone is not as strong as the original lamellar bone and is chiefly characterized by reduced resistance and increased elasticity. Pain is ultimately caused by microfractures and increased vascularity. The high burn turnover also results in elevated serum alkaline phosphatase, one of the diagnostic markers of the disease. Bone deformity as well as changes in the biochemical environment of joints lead in turn to arthritis. The arthritic changes in the skull and the vertebra result in chronic inflammation and the narrowing of foramina, with the newly formed tissue impinging on cranial and spinal nerves. The increased metabolic demand associated with elevated blood perfusion to the bone result in diminished supply to the nerve structures, leading to ischemic myelitis and further aggravating the neurological manifestations of the disease [8].
Osteitis pubis is caused by inflammation and sclerosis over the pubis symphysis. It is due to microtraumas associated with sports that involve lateral movements, kicking or running [9]. Athletes practicing ice hockey, American football, soccer or sprinting are particularly vulnerable [10].
Prevention
Infectious osteitis can be prevented most successfully by reducing the risk of acquiring general infections. Avoiding scrapes and cuts is important, as well as subsequent cleaning and bandage application in case they do occur.
No specific preventive measures are available for osteitis deformans, although patients with family members who suffer from the disease are advised to have blood tests every 2 to 3 years after the age of 40.
Osteitis pubis can be prevented chiefly by the maintenance of overall physical fitness as well as through the avoidance of hip trauma.
Summary
Osteitis is an inflammation of the bone and refers generally to a range of disorders, the most common of which are infectious osteitis, osteitis deformans and osteitis pubis. Infectious osteitis, also known as osteomyelitis, is due to a bacterial infection of the bone that arises either through direct inoculation of microorganisms or is spread from surrounding tissues and the blood stream. Osteitis deformans (Paget's disease) is a metabolic disease that results in increased bone resorption followed by disorganized bone remodeling, leading to weakened bone structure, abnormal bone growth and an increased risk of fracture. Osteitis pubis is a condition that describes inflammatory changes in the pubis symphysis in the pelvis, and is thought to arise from an accumulation of microtraumas to the joint, particularly during the performance of certain sporting activities.
Patient Information
Osteitis refers to an inflammation of the bone and is mainly caused by three conditions: infectious osteitis, osteitis deformans and osteitis pubis.
Infectious osteitis, also known as osteomyelitis, is an infection of the bone that results from direct inoculation of microorganisms or spread of the infection through the blood or from surrounding tissues. Osteomeolytis most frequently affects the long bones in children (such as the bones in the forearms and thighs) and the bones that form the spine in adults (vertebra). Diabetic patients may also suffer from bone infection in their feet due to impairment in blood circulation and the development of ulcers. Infectious osteitis can be effectively treated with a combination of antibiotic therapy and surgery. Treatment with antibiotics is usually delivered through the blood and may last 4 to 6 weeks.
Osteitis deformans, also known as Paget's disease, is a disease that affects bone metabolism. It begins with increased bone resorption followed by the deposition of structural weak and disorganized bone. This ultimately leads to abnormalities in bone structure, in addition to pain, fractures and inflammation of the nearby joints. It can also very rarely lead to a type of bone cancer called Paget's sarcoma. Osteitis deformans does not need treatment if it is asymptomatic.
Osteitis pubis is due to inflammation of a joint in the pelvis called symphysis pubis. This inflammation follows extensive overuse of the joint, particularly in sporting activities that involve kicking, running or abrupt lateral movements such as soccer, American football or ice hockey. The exact cause of osteitis pubis remains unknown, but the inflammation is thought to result from the accumulation of small traumatic events (microtraumas) to the symphysis pubis.
References
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- Siris ES, Kelsey JL, Flaster E, et al. Paget's disease of bone and previous pet ownership in the United States: dogs exonerated. Int J Epidemiol. 1990;19:455-458.
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- Monsell EM, Cody DD, Bone HG, et al. Hearing loss as a complication of Paget's disease of bone. J Bone Miner Res. 1999;14:92-95.
- Westlin N. Groin pain in athletes from southern Sweden. Sports Med Arthroscopy Rev. 1997. 5:280-4.
- Ciampolini J, Harding KG. Pathophysiology of chronic bacterial osteomyelitis. Why do antibiotics fail so often? Postgrad Med J. 2000;76:479-483.
- Yost JH, Spencer-Green G, Krant JD. Vascular steal mimicking compression myelopathy in Paget's disease of bone: rapid reversal with calcitonin and systemic steroids. J Rheumatol. 1993;20:1064-1065.
- Robertson BA, Barker PJ, Fahrer M, Schache AG. The anatomy of the pubic region revisited: implications for the pathogenesis and clinical management of chronic groin pain in athletes. Sports Med. 2009. 39(3):225-34.
- Batt ME, McShane JM, Dillingham MF. Osteitis pubis in collegiate football players. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995 May. 27(5):629-33.