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Pharmacokinetic Optimisation of the Treatment of Septic Arthritis

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  • Disease Management
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Summary

Early diagnosis and treatment of septic arthritis improves the potential for a favourable outcome. Optimal treatment includes the prompt and judicious use of effective antimicrobial agents coupled with prompt drainage of the affected joint. Adequate drainage may be accomplished by means of repeated closed large-bore needle aspiration, arthroscopy, or an open surgical procedure.

The purpose of this article is to describe optimal antimicrobial therapy based upon available pharmacokinetic data. The host-dependent vulnerability to specific pathogens, local antibacterial susceptibility patterns and knowledge of antibacterial activity at the site of infection must all be taken into account when planning appropriate treatment. This article does not address arthritis secondary to human and animal bites, diabetic foot infections, mycobacteria, fungi, Lyme spirochaete, or other nonbacterial causes of septic arthritis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California, USA

    Kamal A. Homed & Janice Y. Tam

  2. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California, 94305, USA

    Charles G. Prober

Authors
  1. Kamal A. Homed
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  2. Janice Y. Tam
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  3. Charles G. Prober
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Homed, K.A., Tam, J.Y. & Prober, C.G. Pharmacokinetic Optimisation of the Treatment of Septic Arthritis. Clin-Pharmacokinet 31, 156–163 (1996). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003088-199631020-00006

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00003088-199631020-00006

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