Acute septic arthritis and acute osteomyelitis are not rare diseases in pediatric population. But when the diagnosis is delayed or inappropriate treatments are given, permanent disabilities of joint or bone can be followed. We analysed clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, X-ray findings, causative microorganisms and antibiotic susceptibility results of the two diseases in children.

During January 1992 and May 2002, we conducted a retrospective study of 103 children who were diagnosed as acute septic arthritis and acute osteomyelitis. We selected out 34 children who had positive culture results in the blood or involved sites.

19 cases were diagnosed as acute septic arthritis and 15 cases were acute osteomyelitis. These diseases were most common in preschool children and next in neonates. Hip joints and tibia were the most common sites in each disease. X-ray findings showed abnormalities in 6 cases(36%) of acute septic arthritis and 7 cases(50%) of acute osteomyelitis on admission. The most common microorganism isolated from the involved sites was Staphylococcus aureus; 12 out of 14 cases in acute septic arthritis and 6 out of 13 cases in acute osteomyelitis.

It is difficult to make a clear initial diagnosis of the two diseases. We could not find any differences between these two diseases on clinical manifestations such as fever, swelling, tenderness and limitation of movements in joint and bone. The most common microorganism was Staphylococcus aureus.