Shoulder Joint Infections with Negative Culture Results: Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes

Table 2

Comparison of demographics and variables between culture-positive and culture-negative patients.

Variable	Culture Negative	Culture Positive	P value
	(n=17)	(n=19)
Age, years	63.7 ± 8.6	63.0 ± 11.6	0.28
Gender			0.49
Male	9 (53%)	9 (47%)
Female	8 (47%)	10 (53%)
Host conditions			0.59
Uncompromised	13 (76%)	15 (79%)
Compromised	4 (24%)	4 (21%)
Cause			0.47
Surgery	8	9
Injection	3	8
Unknown	6	2
Fever			0.53
Yes	0 (0%)	1 (5%)
No	17 (100%)	18 (95%)
Swelling			0.49
Yes	9 (53%)	9 (47%)
No	8 (47%)	10 (53%)
Evidence of heat			0.24
Yes	11 (65%)	9 (47%)
No	6 (35%)	10 (53%)
Draining sinus			0.21
Yes	1 (6%)	4 (21%)
No	16 (94%)	15 (79%)
Rotator cuff destruction			0.59
Yes	12 (71%)	13 (68%)
No	5 (29%)	6 (32%)
Osteomyelitis			0.01
Yes	0 (0%)	7 (32%)
No	17 (100%)	12 (68%)
Preoperative antibiotic treatment			0.2
Yes	4 (24%)	8 (42%)
No	13 (76%)	11 (58%)
Anchor			0.44
Yes	4 (24%)	6 (32%)
No	13 (76%)	13 (68%)
Laboratory data
WBC (/cc)	11782 ± 3908	14952 ± 4531	0.83
ESR (mm/h)	82.5 ± 31.5	76.1 ± 28.9	0.75
CRP (mg/L)	7.8 ± 10.2	9.6 ± 9.1	0.38
Synovial lactate (mmol/L)	11.9 ± 1.1	13.8 ± 3.3	0.09
Illness duration (days)	70.7 ± 107	95.8 ± 94.5	0.14
Number of surgical debridements	1.2 ± 0.4	2.4 ± 1.7	0.003

CRP: C-reactive protein; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; WBC: white blood cell. Values are represented as (mean ± SD).