A toddler is receiving longterm antibiotics to treat osteomyelitis. Which laboratory
test will the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner order to monitor response to therapy in this child?

Question

A toddler is receiving long­term antibiotics to treat osteomyelitis. Which laboratory
test will the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner order to monitor response to therapy in this child?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a laboratory test to detect inflammation in the body, including bone. It is often used to monitor response to therapy in patients with osteomyelitis. Blood cultures may be ordered initially to identify the causative organism, but not necessarily to monitor response to therapy. Serum procalcitonin (Pro-CT) is a more specific marker for bacterial infection, but may not be necessary for monitoring response to therapy in all cases. White blood count (WBC) may also be elevated in response to infection, but is not specific to bone infections and does not necessarily correlate with response to therapy.

A Toddler Is Receiving Long­term Antibiotics to Treat Osteomyelitis

A Toddler Is Receiving Longterm Antibiotics to Treat Osteomyelitis