Abstract

Objective: Brucellosis affects many organs and tissues; its clinical course and severity vary greatly. This may lead to an increase in the frequency of complications due to late diagnosis and late initiation of treatment. Osteoarticular involvement is the most common complication. Complications due to brucellosis result in serious morbidity and mortality. We planned to evaluate brucellosis and detect laboratory markers that can predict complications.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with brucellosis and who applied to our hospital between January 01, 2013 and October 31, 2023 were included in the study. Detection of infectious findings in an anatomical region of the patient as a result of radiological imaging and physical examination was defined as a “complication”. Patient data were obtained by retrospective screening of patient files.

Results: 237 patients were included in the study. 133 (56.1%) of these patients were male. 125 (52.7%) of the patients had local involvement, and the most common was bone-joint involvement with a rate of 80% (n=100). White blood cell, C-reactive protein and C-reactive protein/albumin levels were significantly increased in the patient group with local involvement compared to the patient group without any involvement, and there was a significant decrease in the albumin levels. Doxycycline/rifampicin treatment was most frequently used in patients with local involvement; treatment duration was significantly longer in patients with complications, especially those with osteoarticular involvement, and the recurrence rate was 10.4%.

Conclusion: Brucellosis is an infectious disease that still maintains its importance for our country, especially in endemic regions. This study will contribute to patient management and reduce morbidity and mortality by identifying laboratory markers that can predict complications.