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Published on: December 3, 2017
Accuracy of diagnostic tests for prosthetic joint infection: a systematic review
Sufian S Ahmad1, Ahmed Shaker2, Mo Saffarini3
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland. Sufian.ahmad@insel.ch.
Purpose:
There are few evidence-based recommendations on the most effective methods for diagnosing prosthetic joint infections (PJIs), and the potency of tests in relation to each other also remains vague. This systematic review aimed to (1) identify systematic reviews reporting accuracies of available approaches for diagnosing PJI, (2) critically appraise their quality and bias, and (3) compare the available approaches in terms of accuracy for diagnosing PJI.
Methods:
PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for meta-analyses reporting accuracies of different diagnostic modalities for PJIs. Thirteen systematic reviews met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and their data were extracted and tabulated by two reviewers in duplicate and independent manners.
Results:
The 13 articles reported diagnostic accuracy from 278 clinical studies comprising 27,754 patients and evaluating 13 diagnostic tests grouped into 7 broad categories. Implant sonication had the highest positive likelihood ratio (17.2), followed by bacteriology (15.3) and synovial fluid differentiated cytology (13.3). The highest negative likelihood ratio was for interleukin (IL)-6 serum marker (0.03) followed by synovial fluid cytology and differentiation (0.12 and 0.13, respectively).
Conclusion:
The diagnostic tests that are most likely to rule out PJI include serum IL-6, serum C-reactive protein, and synovial fluid cytology. On the other hand, the diagnostic test that is most likely to confirm PJI is implant sonication. Nuclear imaging showed low overall accuracy as diagnostic tests for PJI. The findings of this study could enable clinicians to confirm or rule out PJIs using the most accurate, rapid, least invasive, and cost-effective tools available, thereby enabling fast treatment before formation of resistant biofilms and degradation of patient conditions.
Level Of Evidence:
Systematic review, Level IV.
Insights
This review compares diagnostic tests for prosthetic joint infections (PJIs). Implant sonication is best for confirming PJI, while serum IL-6 and C-reactive protein are best for ruling it out.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Infectious Diseases
- Diagnostic Medicine
Background:
- Prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) pose a significant challenge due to limited evidence-based diagnostic recommendations.
- The comparative accuracy of various diagnostic methods for PJIs remains unclear, impacting clinical decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and appraise the quality of existing systematic reviews on PJI diagnostic accuracy.
- To compare the diagnostic performance of different modalities for identifying PJIs.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed and EMBASE for meta-analyses reporting diagnostic accuracies of PJI tests.
- Data from 13 selected systematic reviews, encompassing 278 studies and 27,754 patients, were extracted and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Implant sonication demonstrated the highest positive likelihood ratio (17.2) for confirming PJI.
- Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) had the highest negative likelihood ratio (0.03) for ruling out PJI.
- Nuclear imaging exhibited low overall accuracy for PJI diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Serum IL-6, C-reactive protein, and synovial fluid cytology are effective in ruling out PJIs.
- Implant sonication is the most reliable test for confirming PJI.
- Accurate and rapid diagnostic tools can facilitate timely treatment, preventing complications like biofilms and patient condition degradation.
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