Pyomyositis and its risk factors in patients of Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda. A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study Design

Background: Pyomyositis is a suppurative infection of the skeletal muscles and is characterized by localized muscle pains, swelling and tenderness. Pyomyositis accounts for 10-15% of hospital admissions in some units in northern Uganda. We described the demographic characteristics and risk factors of Pyomyositis patients treated at Gulu Hospital between January to September 2009.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on Pyomyositis patients admitted in Gulu Regional hospital surgical ward over a period of 9 months (January 2009 to September 2009). One hundred patients who met the inclusion criteria were consecutively recruited in to the study after obtaining an informed consent. The patients' information was recorded on a special questionnaire. The information recorded included the demographic characteristic, the BMI, sites of infection and the laboratory tests findings. Each patient underwent incision and drainage (I&D) operation and was followed up in the outpatient department for postoperative surgical review. Ethical consideration and approval was obtained from the ethical review committee and administration of Gulu Regional Hospital.
Results: The population study consisted of 100 patients. The patients' ages ranged from 12 to 60 with a mean of 30.3 years. The peak age range was 30-34 years. The male to female (M: F) ratio of 1:1.1. Of the risk factors studied trauma was reported in 7 patients (7%). Malnutrition (53%) and HIV/AIDS (40%) were the commonest risk factors. None of the patients suffered from Diabetes mellitus or hypertension. HIV/AIDS was present in 88% of the malnourished pyomyositis patients.
Conclusion: Malnutrition is the commonest risk factor to pyomyositis, followed by HIV/AIDS and trauma .Most malnourished patients were HIV positive.