This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Study: Lyme arthritis should be considered in cases of monoarticular pediatric hip pain

Glotzbecker MP. J Ped Ortho. 2011. doi: 10.1097/BPO.0b013e31822f1abc

Add topic to email alerts

Receive an email when new articles are posted on

Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on .

Subscribe

Added to email alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

Back to Healio

We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.

Back to Healio

Although Lyme arthritis most commonly affects the knee, a new study recommends that it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of monoarticular hip pain associated with effusion — at least in areas where Lyme disease is endemic, according to this study from researchers in Boston.

The team selected a Lyme endemic region and reviewed clinical records at a tertiary children’s referral center.

“Primary monoarticular Lyme arthritis of the hip is uncommon,” study authors said. “[…] and differentiating it from septic arthritis or toxic synovitis of the hip may be difficult.”

Records revealed that 8 patients met the Lyme arthritis criteria. All patients — with an average age of 9.5 years (range of 3 years to 20 years) — presented with hip pain or refusal to bear weight. Aspiration was performed on 5 patients. Three of 8 patients were treated surgically; all patients received antibiotics and all were found to be asymptomatic at last follow-up. In all but one case, appropriate antibiotics were not promptly administered.