Pregnancy-Associated Sacroiliitis following an Uncomplicated Pregnancy

Abstract

Pregnancy-associated sacroiliitis is infrequent during the peripartum period. Although pregnancy-associated pyogenic sacroiliitis rarely occurs, it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. A timely diagnosis of the disease is challenging due to its nonspecific clinical symptoms. We reviewed a case that experienced an acute illness during pregnancy. The illness was manifested by localized pain in the hips or buttocks, sacroiliac joint tenderness, and debilitating hip pain during ambulation. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed little joint involvement, and the patient was treated with antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and glucocorticoids. The patient responded well to the therapy with marked improvement in her ambulation. Septic sacroiliitis should be considered in peripartum patients presenting with increased inflammatory markers and severe localized pain. Medical management is usually curative and without an adverse effect on pregnancy. Although we could not perform a biopsy to verify the cause of the disease, the patient’s excellent response to the treatment confirmed our diagnosis.