2022 Volume No 43 – pages 293-298
Title: Postoperative IL-6 levels cannot predict early onset periprosthetic hip/knee infections: an analysis of 7,661 patients at a single institution |
Authors: A Aichmair, BJH Frank, S Simon, G Singer, E Skolek, M Dominkus, JG Hofstaetter |
Address: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Orthopaedic Hospital Vienna-Speising, Speisingerstrasse 109, AT-1130 Vienna, Austria |
E-mail: alexander.aichmair at oss.at |
Abstract: Prior studies have outlined C-reactive protein (CRP) within the first 5 d following total hip arthroplasty (THA) as an inappropriate indicator of an early periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Recently, interleukin-6 (IL-6), as a potential inflammatory marker following total joint arthroplasty (TJA), has gained increasing interest, particularly due to its considerably shorter half-life. The aim of the present study was to assess IL-6 measured on postoperative day 3 following TJA as a prediction marker of early onset PJI. 7,661 patients, who underwent total hip or knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA) at a single institution between 2016 and 2019, were evaluated. Serum IL-6 values were measured on postoperative day 3 and compared between patients, with and without early onset PJI in the postoperative follow-up, matched for age, gender, Surgical Site Infection Risk Score and Charlson comorbidity index. Overall (n = 7,661), there was no statistically significant difference in serum IL-6 levels comparing patients with and without early onset PJI following THA [38.9 pg/ mL vs. 32.0 pg/mL, p = 0.116] and TKA [30.6 pg/mL vs. 28.2 pg/mL, p = 0.718]. Male gender and high body mass index were associated with an increased risk of early onset PJI following THA (p = 0.027, p = 0.002). Matched cohort analysis (n = 86) showed no statistically significant difference in serum IL-6 levels between patients with and without early onset PJI following THA (p = 0.680) and TKA (p = 0.910). Serum IL-6 values on postoperative day 3 following THA or TKA could not predict early onset PJIs. |
Keywords: Joint infection, IL-6, total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty. |
Publication date: June 28th 2022 |
Article download: Pages
293-298 (PDF file) |
