scholarly journals A prospective study of screening for musculoskeletal pathology in the child with a limp or pseudoparalysis using erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and MRI

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 398-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. D. Mitchell ◽  
A. Viswanath ◽  
N. Obi ◽  
A. Littlewood ◽  
M. Latimer

Purpose To determine if the detection of musculoskeletal pathology in children with a limp or acute limb disuse can be optimized by screening with blood tests for raised inflammatory markers, followed by MRI. Methods This was a prospective observational study. Entry criteria were children (0 to 16 years of age) presenting to our emergency department with a non-traumatic limp or pseudoparalysis of a limb, and no abnormality on plain radiographs. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) blood tests were performed. Children with ESR > 10 mm/hr or CRP > 10 mg/L underwent a MRI scan. When the location of the pathology causing the limp was clinically unclear, screening images (Cor t1 and Short Tau Inversion Recovery) of both lower limbs from pelvis to ankles (‘legogram’) was undertaken. Data was gathered prospectively from 100 consecutive children meeting the study criteria. Results In all, 75% of children had a positive finding on their MRI. A total of 64% of cases had an infective cause for their symptoms (osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, pyomyositis, fasciitis, cellulitis or discitis). A further 11% had positive findings on MRI from non-infective causes (juvenile idiopathic arthritis, cancer or undisplaced fracture). The remaining 25% had either a normal scan or effusion due to transient synovitis. ESR was a more sensitive marker than CRP in infection, since ESR was raised in 97%, but CRP in only 70%. Conclusion In our opinion MRI imaging of all children with a limp and either raised ESR or CRP is a sensitive method to minimize the chance of missing important pathology in this group, and is an effective use of MRI resources. We advocate the use of both blood tests in conjunction. Level of Evidence Level II

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Zahra Soleimani ◽  
Fatemeh Amighi ◽  
Zarichehr Vakili ◽  
Mansooreh Momen-Heravi ◽  
Seyyed Alireza Moravveji

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of osteomyelitis is a key step of diabetic foot management. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a novel infection marker. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of procalcitonin and other conventional infection markers and clinical findings in diagnosis of osteomyelitis in diabetic foot patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This diagnostic value study was carried out on ninety patients with diabetic infected foot ulcers admitted in Kashan Beheshti Hospital, 2016. After obtaining consent, 10 cc blood sample was taken for measuring serum PCT, CBC, ESR, CRP and FBS. Clinical characteristics of the wounds were noted. Magnetic resonance imaging of the foot was performed in all patients to diagnose osteomyelitis. All statistical analyses were done with the use of SPSS-16. RESULTS: PCT levels were 0.13 ± 0.02 ng/mili patients with osteomyelitis (n= 45) and 0.04 ± 0.02 ng/ml in patients without osteomyelitis (n= 45). PCT, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein was found significantly higher in patients with osteomyelitis (p< 0.001). The ROC curve was calculated for PCT. The area under the ROC curve for infection identification was 1 (p< 0.001). The best cut-off value for PCT was 0.085 ng/ml. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 100%, 97.8%,97.8% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In this group of patients, PCT was useful to discriminate patients with bone infection. Also, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein can be used as a marker of osteomyelitis in diabetic patients.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Zhang ◽  
Lihua Ma ◽  
Xu Lan ◽  
Ping Zhen ◽  
Shiyong Wang ◽  
...  

<sec><title>Study Design</title><p>Retrospective case series.</p></sec><sec><title>Purpose</title><p>To investigate the clinical efficacy and feasibility of one-stage anterolateral debridement, bone grafting, and internal fixation for treating lumbosacral tuberculosis.</p></sec><sec><title>Overview of Literature</title><p>There has been no consensus regarding the optimal means of treating lumbosacral tuberculosis. The one-stage anterolateral extraperitoneal approach for radical debridement, bone grafting, and internal fixation for treating lumbosacral tuberculosis is rare in literature.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Twenty-one patients with lumbosacral tuberculosis were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent the surgery of anterolateral debridement after regularly antituberculous drugs therapy. We evaluated the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, visual analogue score, and Oswestry disability index before and after surgery.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>All patients completed a follow-up survey 9–48 months after surgery. All patients' wounds healed well without chronic infection or sinus formation, and all patients with low-back pain reported relief after surgery. All cases had no tuberculosis recurrence. Solid bony fusion was achieved within 6–12 months. At final follow-up, evaluated the erythrocyte sedimentation rate decreased from 38.1±12.5 to 11.3±7.1 mm/hr, C-reactive protein decreased from 6.2±4.2 to 1.6±1.3 mg/dL, the visual analog scale score decreased from 4.6±1.1 to 1.4±1.0, the Oswestry disability index score decreased from 50.2%±11.9% to 13.0%±6.6%, and the lumbosacral angle increased from 20.0°±4.8° to 29.0°±3.9° (<italic>p</italic>&lt;0.05).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>One-stage anterolateral debridement, bone grafting, and internal instrument fixation for treating lumbosacral tuberculosis is safe and effective.</p></sec>


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