Synovial Calprotectin as a Biomarker for Distinguishing Septic Arthritis from Non-Septic Arthritis: A Preliminary Study

sis and treatment of septic arthritis can cause subchondral bone loss and permanent joint dysfunction [2].Although antibiotic development has made treatment easier than in the past, antibiotic overuse has increased bacterial resistance, increasing septic arthritis prevalence, which is further compounded by increased life expectancy and frequent intraarticular injections.The incidence of septic arthritis has significantly increased.A recent study reported that the incidence of septic arthritis per 100,000 people in Korea increased from 2005 to 2018 (4.072 and 15.298, respectively) [3].An accurate and prompt septic arthritis diagnosis is crucial for improving patient outcomes and minimizing the required resource use.Septic arthritis is diagnosed by combining clinical findings, laboratory markers, and microbiological analyses.Traditional criteria to diagnose septic arthritis is synovial fluid culture, with >25,000or >50,000 white blood cell (WBC)/L or at least 90% polymor-