OBJECTIVE: To describe occurrence, evolution, and outcome of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis in children and adolescents. METHODS: A descriptive study of 21 cases with patients aged zero to 14 years-old, diagnosed with acute hematogenous osteomyelitis assisted at the Pediatric Infectious Disease Follow-Up Clinic of Escola Paulista de Medicina, between 2005 and 2009. The medical records were reviewed. Descriptive analysis and Spearman's rank correlation were performed, with a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: The incidence in males was higher than in females, and children over five years of age were the most affected ones. Fever and pain were the main symptoms, and the long bones were the most often affected. The most commonly recovered pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus. The time interval between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis was 9.7 days, the length of hospital stay was 24.7 days, and the duration of treatment was 71.7 days. Complete resolution occurred in 71.4% of the cases and complications appeared in 28.6% of them, being chronic osteomyelitis the main one. CONCLUSIONS: Data regarding gender, age, etiology, and evolution were in accordance with literature reports. The duration of the treatment was ten weeks, which is longer than usual reports. There were no significant correlations between duration of symptoms before the diagnosis, duration of hospital stay, and duration of treatment, considering the small sample size.
osteomyelitis; children; etiology; clinical evolution; treatment
