OBJECTIVE: To probe into the clinical efficacy of Xiaoju decoction combined with antibiotic bone cement in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis and its effect on the expression of serum bone morphogenetic protein-2（ BMP-2） and erythrocyte sedimentation rate（ ESR）. METHODS: Totally 98 patients with chronic osteomyelitis admitted into the 81 st Army Group Hospital of PLA from Apr. 2017 to Sept. 2019 were divided into two groups via random number tablet. Patients in the control group（ 49 cases） was given antibiotics bone cement

while patients in the observation group was given Xiaoju decoction based on the control group. The serum tumor necrosis factor-α（ TNF-α）

interleukin-1（ IL-1）

BMP-2 levels and blood routine examination of both groups before treatment and at 4 weeks after treatment were observed. The clinical efficacy

incidences of adverse drug reactions during treatment and recurrence rate in 1-year follow-up were analyzed. RESULTS: The total effective rate of patients in the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group [95. 92%（ 47/49） vs. 81. 63%（ 40/49） ]

with statistically significant differences（ χ2= 5. 018

P = 0. 025）. After treatment

the serum TNF-α and IL-1 levels of patients in both groups were significantly lower than those of before treatment

while the BMP-2 levels were significantly increased;compared with the control group

the serum TNF-α and IL-1 levels of patients in the observation group were significantly lower

while the BMP-2 level was significantly higher

with statistically significant differences（ P<0. 05）.After treatment

the white blood cell count（ WBC）

neutrophilic granulocyte percentage（ NEU%） and ESR levels of patients in both groups were significantly lower than those of before treatment; compared with the control group

the WBC

NEU% and ESR levels of patients in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group

with statistically significant differences（ P <0. 05）. The incidence of adverse drug reactions of patients in the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group [4. 08%（ 2/49） vs. 22. 45%（ 11/49） ]

with statistically significant differences（ χ2= 7. 184

P = 0. 007）; and the recurrence rate of patients in the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group [4. 08%（ 2/49） vs. 20. 41%（ 10/49） ]

with statistically significant differencs（ χ2= 6. 078

P = 0. 014）. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of chronic osteomyelitis with Xiaoju decoction combined with antibiotic bone cement can achieve good clinical efficacy

which can effectively reduce serum inflammatory factor level

increase BMP-2 level

improve routine blood index

reduce the incidence of adverse drug reactions and recurrence rate.