For their study, researchers performed intraoperative aspirations on 117 patients from 2007-2009 and tested for the presence of leukocyte esterase using a simple colorimetric strip test. Esterase is an enzyme released by white blood cells and is associated with bacterial infections.
Of those tested, 23 were determined to be infected and 94 were determined to be uninfected. When using the highest level of infection as the threshold for a positive test, the test was 86.4 percent sensitive for infection and 95.8 percent specific for esterase. Additionally the test was 59.9 percent sensitive and 98.8 percent specific at the smallest level of detected infection as threshold.
Their findings were presented today at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons annual meeting in San Francisco.
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