Abstract: Objective:To explore the changes in the levels of serum procalcitonin(PCT), C-reactive protein(CRP) and interleukin-6(IL-6)，and their clinical significance in pediatric bone and joint infections.
Methods:Ninety child patients with bone and joint infections who were treated in Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from December 2015 to December 2017 were included as case group. Another 90 healthy children with physical examination during the same period were selected as control group. The levels of serum PCT, CRP and IL-6 were measured. The levels of serum PCT, CRP and IL-6 in case group and control group were statistically analyzed. The levels of serum PCT, CRP and IL-6 among child patients with different types of bone and joint infections were statistically analyzed. The levels of serum PCT, CRP and IL-6 among children in acute infection and recovery phase were statistically analyzed. The levels of serum PCT, CRP and IL-6 among child patients with different disease severity were statistically analyzed.
Results:The levels of serum PCT, CRP and IL-6 in case group were higher than those in control group (P<0.05).The serum levels of PCT, CRP and IL-6 in child patients with suppurative arthritis were higher than those in child patients with acute osteomyelitis and chronic osteomyelitis (P<0.05). The serum levels of PCT, CRP and IL-6 of child patients with bone and joint infections in acute infection phase were higher than those in recovery phase (P<0.05). The serum levels of PCT, CRP and IL-6 in child patients with severe infections were higher than those in child patients with mild infections (P<0.05).
Conclusion:The serum levels of PCT, CRP and IL-6 are of important significance in clinically evaluating conditions of children with bone and joint infections.
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Key words: Bone and joint infections, Procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, Interleukin-6, Children