Which of the following is indicative of an infection in a client with osteomyelitis?

An increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is indeed indicative of an infection in a client with osteomyelitis. ESR is a blood test that measures the rate at which red blood cells settle at the bottom of a test tube. When there is inflammation in the body, such as that caused by an infection, the sedimentation rate increases due to the presence of acute phase reactants that are released into the bloodstream.

In the context of osteomyelitis, which is characterized by infection in the bone, an elevated ESR can reflect the inflammatory response associated with the infection. This makes it a key laboratory finding in diagnosing and monitoring conditions like osteomyelitis.

The other options reflect conditions that do not support the presence of an infection. For instance, elevated blood glucose can be linked to various metabolic conditions rather than specifically indicating an infectious process. A decreased ESR would suggest a lack of significant inflammation, and a normal white blood cell count may imply that there is no acute infection present, as the body typically responds to infection with an increased white blood cell count. Therefore, the presence of an increased ESR aligns well with the infection dynamics typically seen in osteomyelitis.