[Acute osteomyelitis in the child with sickle cell disease in a tropical zone: value of oral fluoroquinolones].

AIM: This study was designed to assess the efficacy and the safety of fluoroquinolones in their compassionate use for acute osteomyelitis in children with sickle cell disease in a tropical country.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

This study was non comparative, including twelve children (eight SS, three SC and one SEzerothalassemia) treated for acute osteomyelitis with oral ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin because of the following reasons: financial inability to afford conventional parenteral beta-lactams therapy (nine patients), refusal of hospitalization (two patients), and failure of conventional treatment (one patient).

RESULTS

The mean age of patients was 9.5 +/- 2.6 years. The long bones were the predominantly site. Salmonella species were present in 75% of cases, followed by other enterobacteriaceae (16.7%), and Staphylococcus aureus (8.3%). Successful outcome occurred in all cases after three to four-weeks of treatment and 45 days of plaster immobilization. Transient bilateral Achilles tendon tendinitis was noted in a five-year-old patient.

CONCLUSION

In economically developing countries, oral fluoroquinolones may be a therapeutic alternative for acute osteomyelitis in patients with sickle cell disease particularly in cases of financial hardship or failure with conventional therapy.