Open AccessAnother Look: Is There a Flaw to Current Hip Septic Arthritis Diagnostic Algorithms?
Author(s) -
Chika Edward Uzoigwe
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
clinical orthopaedics and related research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.178
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1528-1132
pISSN - 0009-921X
DOI - 10.1007/s11999-013-3142-0
Subject(s) - septic arthritis , medicine , synovitis , arthritis , erythrocyte sedimentation rate , algorithm , intensive care medicine , computer science
Septic arthritis is an emergency. In 1999 Kocher et al. identified four clinical criteria to distinguish hip septic arthritis from transient synovitis in children (nonweightbearing, erythrocyte sedimentation rate ≥ 40 mm/L, white blood cell count > 12 × 10(9)/L, temperature > 38.5°C). Subsequent authors evaluating the same criteria produced conflicting results. This calls into question the use of such diagnostic algorithms. The reasons for the differences remain unclear.