Tuberculous spondylitis: a clinical analysis

Twenty-seven tuberculous spondylitis patients were reviewed. Eighteen were men and 9 were women, the average age being 52 years. The lower thoracic and lumbar spines were involved most frequently. Fever, progressive pain over the involved spine and tenderness were common clinical manifestations. The neurological deficits were due to direct compression of neural structures by the inflammatory products. Elevated ESR and the Mantoux test were valuable indicators. About one-fourth of patients had coexisting pulmonary tuberculosis. Therefore, tuberculous spondylitis must be considered first in cases with progressive backache, tenderness, fever, elevated ESR and positive Mantoux test.