Risk factors for focal involvement in brucellosis.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the risk factors of focal involvement in brucellosis.

METHODS: The data of brucellosis patients were analyzed retrospectively from 2010 through 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: focal involvement (-) and focal involvement (+). The clinical findings, complications and laboratory findings of patients were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: Two hundred thirty patients were included in the study. One hundred twenty-seven of the patients (55.2%) were male and mean age was 45.8 ± 17.1 (16-86) years. Focal involvement was observed in 98 (42.6%) patients. The variables that differed significantly between groups were age (P < 0.001), fever (P = 0.016), back pain (P < 0.001), leukocyte (P = 0.012), neutrophil (P = 0.004), platelet (P = 0.002), mean platelet volume (MPV) (P = 0.043) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P = 0.001). Older age (>45 years) and back pain were found to be independent risk factors for predicting focal involvement (P = 0.036 and P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The clinical findings and markers that are significant in determining focal involvement may be useful in identifying complicated brucellosis.