Guidelines
Septic Native Joint Arthritis

Septic Native Joint Arthritis

Key Messages

Septic arthritis should be suspected in patients with acute monoarthritis

Always obtain synovial fluid cultures and blood cultures prior to starting antimicrobial therapy

Clinical Considerations

  • Acute monoarthritis
  • Effusion
  • Joint range of motion restriction
  • Difficulty weight-bearing

More Information

  1. Gupta et al. A prospective 2-year study of 75 patients Rheumatology 2001:40(1)
  2. Smith, Piercy. Infectious Arthritis Clinical Infectious Disease 1995:20(2)
  3. Shah et al. Does the presence of crystal arthritis rule out septic arthritis? Journal of Emergency Medicine 2006:32(1)
  4. Margaretten et al. Does this Adult Patient have Septic Arthritis? JAMA 2007:297(13)
  5. Kortekagas et al. Synovial Fluid Leukcytosis in Bacterial Arthritis vs. Reactive Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Adult Knee. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology 1992:21(6)