Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥ 18 years * Documented septic arthritis (microorganism identified intra-articularly by culture or PCR, or by turbid synovial fluid with positive Gram stain, or positive blood cultures) * Effective antibiotic therapy initiated within ≤ 3 days * Effective contraception for women of childbearing age during treatment period * Signed informed consent * Affiliation to the French national health insurance system * Ability to read, write, and understand French Exclusion Criteria: * Polyarticular septic arthritis (≥ 2 joints) * Septic arthritis of small joints (e.g., fingers: proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP), distal interphalangeal joints (DIP), MetaCarpoPhalangeal (MCP); toes: MTP) * Systemic sclerosis * Pyomyositis * Diabetic foot infection * Current corticosteroid therapy for another indication * Inability to take oral medication * Contraindication to corticosteroids * Associated endocarditis * Presence of prosthetic joint or osteosynthesis material in the affected joint * Septic shock * Severe soft tissue wound overlying the joint * Aplastic chemotherapy * Neutropenia (defined as neutrophils \< 500/mm³) * Mycobacterial infection * Fungal infection * Sickle cell disease * Current pregnancy * Breastfeeding women * Patients under legal protection (e.g., guardianship) * Participation in another interventional clinical trial * Uncontrolled diabetes * Unstable psychiatric disorders * Adults unable to provide informed consent * Contraindication to corticosteroid therapy