To assess the initial rise in inflammatory markers in paediatric patients presenting with long bone osteomyelitis and whether this is comparable with that in septic arthritis, and diagnostic. All radiologically confirmed cases of long bone osteomyelitis without septic arthritis, joint effusion or abscess, in paediatric patients, presenting to one hospital over an eighteen-month period were included. These patients were compared with all culture positive septic arthritides presenting to the same hospital within the same period. Inflammatory markers taken on the day of admission were studied.Purpose
Methods