Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis (CRMO)


  • Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis (CRMO) affects predominantly children and adolescents, with a peak age of onset of 10 years and a female preponderance.
  • CRMO is characterized by recurrent inflammation at multiple skeletal sites, most commonly involving the tibia, femur, clavicle, foot, or vertebral body and rarely the pelvis or rib cage.
  • Associated inflammatory disorders, includes
  • → Palmoplantar pustulosis
  • → Chronic arthritis
  • → Psoriasis
  • → Inflammatory bowel disease
  • → Pyoderma gangrenosum 
  • → Sweet's syndrome, and 
  • → Severe acne.

Clinical Features

Multiple episodes of localized redness, pain, & swelling of insidious onset & spontaneous regression.
→ Minimal functional impairment during the episodes.

Pathophysiology

  • The pathogenesis of this condition remains unexplained.
  • Theories include an autoimmune process or an infection from an as yet unrecognized causative agent (such as Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, atypical mycobacterium, or virus).
  • Histopathologic examination of lesions may show changes suggestive or diagnostic of osteomyelitis, with numerous neutrophils, bone necrosis, granuloma, and fibrosis with round cell infiltration.

Evaluation


The diagnosis of CRMO is essentially one of exclusion.


Diagnostic Criteria includes-



(1) Protracted clinical course of > 3 months' duration

(2) Open biopsy results consistent with chronic inflammation, and 
(3) Failure to identify any infectious organism by culture.


  • The initial evaluation of CRMO should include the same laboratory and radiographic studies performed for any suspected infection.

  • Microbiologic tests of blood and tissue cultures should not be omitted.
  • Plain radiographs of each symptomatic area should be obtained and supplemented by bone scintigraphy, because asymptomatic lesions are occasionally identified in this manner.

Treatment

  • There is No well-defined treatment for CRMO, although most children are treated with NSAIDs and occasionally corticosteroids.
  • Effective treatment with interferon gamma has been reported in one case, and it is hoped that this method may help circumvent the prolonged, relapsing nature of CRMO.

Complications

  • CRMO is often described as a self-limiting condition of childhood that follows a benign, protracted course without sequelae.
  • An early diagnosis can avoid complications associated with unnecessary surgical or antibiotic treatment. 

Comments

  1. Its a very nice for orthopaedic resident n consultants

    ReplyDelete

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