Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Combined With the Probe-to-Bone Test for Fast and Early Diagnosis of Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) optimal cutoff point in Chinese patients with diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) and to evaluate the screening value of ESR combined with probe-to-bone (PTB) test for a fast diagnosis of DFO in early stage. A total of 204 diabetic inpatients with foot infection were tested for white blood cell count, neutrophil %, C reactive protein, and ESR at admission within 24 hours. All patients were performed PTB test. Patients with DFO (111) were confirmed by bone biopsy, the other patients (86) had only soft tissue infection. Although white blood cell count, neutrophil %, C-reactive protein, and ESR were different between the 2 groups, only area under curve of ESR was 0.832, with the value as a diagnostic indicator. The best cut point of ESR was >43 mm/h; the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (+PV), and negative predictive value (−PV) were 82.9%, 70.5%, 0.78, and 0.77, respectively. ESR combined with PTB test (serial test), the sensitivity, specificity, +PV, −PV, positive likelihood ratio (+LR), and negative LR (−LR) were 63.56%, 98%, 0.97, 0.67, 31.75, and 0.37, respectively. ESR combined with PTB test (parallel test), the sensitivity, specificity, +PV, −PV, +LR, and −LR were 96%, 65.7%, 0.78, 093, 2.8, and 0.06, respectively, combined with PTB test is simple, favorable for application, and can early fast screening patients with DFO in high-risk patients.