Diagnosis and Management of Osteomyelitis in Children

Background

These evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, developed by a multidisciplinary panel, focus on acute hematogenous osteomyelitis (AHO) in otherwise healthy children.

Key Recommendations:

Diagnosis of osteomyelitis:

• Laboratory tests:

  • Blood culture is recommended prior to antibiotic administration.

  • C-reactive protein should be measured at baseline and every 2–3 days during early therapy to follow treatment progress.

  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate has a limited diagnostic role, although it can be helpful in longitudinal follow-up.

  • Procalcitonin measurement is discouraged due to its insufficient diagnostic accuracy.

• Imaging:

  • Plain ra…