Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Novel Diagnostics in Revision Arthroplasty: Implant Sonication and Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
Published on: December 3, 2017
Serum C-reactive protein and procalcitonin kinetics in patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty
Sandra Battistelli1, Mattia Fortina2, Serafino Carta2
1Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Siena, Viale Bracci No. 16, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Background:
The sensitivity and the specificity of different methods to detect periprosthetic infection have been questioned. The current study aimed to investigate the kinetics of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) in patients undergoing uncomplicated elective total hip arthroplasty (THA), to provide a better interpretation of their levels in noninfectious inflammatory reaction.
Methods:
A total of 51 patients were included. Serum CRP and PCT concentrations were obtained before surgery, on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th postoperative days and after discharge on the 14th and 30th days and at 2 years.
Results:
Both markers were confirmed to increase after surgery. The serum CRP showed a marked increase on the 3rd postoperative day while the peak of serum PCT was earlier, even if much lower, on the first day. Then, they declined slowly approaching the baseline values by the second postoperative week. PCT mean values never exceed concentrations typically related to bacterial infections.
Conclusions:
CRP is very sensitive to inflammation. It could be the routine screening test in the follow-up of THA orthopaedic patients, but it should be complemented by PCT when there is the clinical suspicion of periprosthetic infection.
