Clinical characteristics of brucellosis in acute phase in different age groups

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of brucellosis in acute phase in different age groups.

Methods The clinical data of 246 hospitalized brucellosis patients were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 5 groups: infant group (age 0–3 years), preschool group (age 3–7 years), adolescent group (age 7–18 years), young adult group (age 18–45 years) and middle age and elderly adult group (age 45–77 years).

Results The differences in fatigue (P＝0.015), hidrosis (P＝0.048), lower back pain (P＜0.001) and hepatosplenomegaly (P＝0.013) among the acute brucellosis patients in different age groups were significant. The laboratory test results of white blood cell count (P＝0.001), neutrophil percentage (P＜0.001), lymphocyte count (P＜0.001), serum alanine transaminase (P＝0.024), aspartate aminotransferase (P＜0.001), ALB (P＜0.001), C-reactive protein (P＜0.001) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P＜0.001) also showed significant differences among the acute brucellosis patients in different age groups. Less children showed fatigue and hidrosis compared with the adults, but they were more susceptible to liver function damage and hepatosplenomegaly. While lower back pain mainly occurred in middle age and elderly adults, and C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate increased with age.

Conclusion The clinical characteristics of acute brucellosis patients varied in different age groups. These characteristics should be taken into account in clinical diagnosis of brucellosis.