Determination of New Biomarkers of Septic Arthritis by Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight (SELDI-TOF)

Caractérisation de Nouveaux Biomarqueurs de l'Arthrite Septique Par Technique SELDI-TOF

Septic arthritis is a frequent, potentially disabling and/or life-threatening disease. To diagnose a septic arthritis is a complex procedure, first because of numerous differential diagnoses (such as crystal arthritis), second because of poor sensitivity of initial gram staining (for example after untimely antibiotic therapy).

This protocol will use SELDI-TOF as a tool to analyse joint fluid of patients with various acute, polymorphonuclear-rich arthritis, as to determine specific and sensitive new biomarkers of a septic origin.

Such biomarkers will allow rapid diagnosis of septic arthritis in the first hours of admission.

Inclusion Criteria:

• acute arthritis (onset not more than 7 days ago)
• joint fluid leukocyte count : more than 2000/mm3, more than 50% polymorphonuclear

Exclusion Criteria:

• none (apart from unability to accept inclusion)