Treatment of staphylococcal septic arthritis in rabbits by systemic antibiotics and intra-articular corticosteroids

• Published in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases 1998-11, Vol.57 (11), p.687-690
• Main Authors: Wysenbeek, A J, Volchek, J, Amit, M, Robinson, D, Boldur, I, Nevo, Z
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - administration & dosage; Antibiotics; Arthritis; Arthritis, Experimental - drug therapy; Arthritis, Experimental - pathology; Arthritis, Infectious - drug therapy; Arthritis, Infectious - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Bone marrow; Cefonicid - administration & dosage; Cephalosporins - administration & dosage; corticosteroids; Diseases of the osteoarticular system. Orthopedic treatment; Drug Therapy, Combination; Experiments; Extended Reports; Glucocorticoids; Immune system; Infections; infectious arthritis; Injections, Intra-Articular; Injections, Intramuscular; Knee; Medical sciences; Mortality; Pathogens; Rabbits; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Staphylococcal Infections - drug therapy; Staphylococcal Infections - pathology; Staphylococcus epidermidis
• ISSN: 0003-4967; 1468-2060
• DOI: 10.1136/ard.57.11.687

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of intra-articular corticosteroids added to systemic antibiotics in experimental septic arthritis. METHODS Rabbits were injected intra-articularely by Staphylococcus epidermidis. Rabbits received no additional treatment and served as control (group 1), were treated with systemic antibiotics (group 2), or treated with systemic antibiotics and intra-articular corticosteroids (group 3). After 15 days animals were killed and joint histopathological-histochemical parameters were assessed. RESULTS All rabbits survived the experiment. The treated groups (2–3) had lower histological-histochemical scores in comparison with the untreated group (1). Group 3 had significantly lower scores in joint sections in comparison with group 2: (mean (SD) 6.5 (1.4) v 4.0 (1.0), p=0.001 and 7.4 (2.6)v 4.2 (2.2), p= 0.01), because of lower damage expressed in clustering of chondrocytes, pannus formation, proteoglycan depletion, and synovitis. CONCLUSION Addition of local corticosteroids to systemic antibiotics in septic arthritis seems to be harmless, and improves joint histological-histochemical parameters in this experimental setting.