[Pyogenic liver abscess: changes in etiology, diagnosis and treatment over 18 years].
BACKGROUND: There are no detailed studies in our country on the impact of modern imaging techniques on diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of pyogenic liver abscesses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients with the diagnosis of PLA from 1981 to 1998 were included in the study. The study was divided in two periods: 1981 to 1989 and 1990 to 1998. RESULTS: Compared with the first time period, the following was observed from 1990 to 1998: the mean age was higher (52 versus 65 years, p = 0.006), infections with identified source increased (33% versus 74%, p = 0.003), diagnosis was earlier (13 versus 3 days, p = 0.0002), modern imaging techniques were used more frequently (17% versus 96%, p = 0.002), the proportion of recovered microorganisms increased (53% versus 88%, p = 0.002), as well as use of percutaneous drainage (0% versus 37%, p = 0.002) and the prognosis was better (mortality rate 40% versus 10%, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Relevant changes were observed among patients in our hospital in the nineties regarding epidemiology, management and prognosis of PLAs. Part of these changes are due to a higher use of new imaging techniques.