Assessment of Clinical and Radiological Parameters in Spinal Tuberculosis: Comparison between Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive and Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Negative Patients

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective comparative study.Purppse: A prospective comparative analysis of 30 patients with spinal tuberculosis (15 human immunodeficiency viruses [HIV] positive and 15 HIV negative). We compared the clinical and radiological parameters of the two groups. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: With the increasing incidence of HIV and tuberculosis co-infection, spinal tuberculosis is increasing globally, especially in developing countries. The diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis presents a challenge due to nonspecific constitutional symptoms and late presentation. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted of 30 patients with spinal tuberculosis (15 HIV positive and 15 HIV negative) from August 2014–July 2016 for assessment of clinical and radiological parameters. Neurological assessment was done by classification of tuberculous paraplegia, and the amount of kyphosis was assessed by Cobb angle on a plain radiograph. Abscess size in anterior epidural space, the number of vertebral bodies involved and collapsed, and skip lesions were noted on magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: In the prospective analysis of 30 patients, HIV positive (n=15) and HIV negative (n=15), there was no significant difference in neurological grading between the two groups. The amount of vertebral body destruction and degree of kyphosis was significantly greater in HIV-negative patients as compared with HIV-positive patients. There was a significant difference in Cobb angle between the two groups. The amount of anterior epidural space abscess formation was greater in HIV-positive patients as compared with HIVnegative patients. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-negative patients had greater vertebral body destruction and resultant kyphosis as compared with HIV-positive patients, who had greater anterior epidural abscess formation.