Latex Allergy as an Independent Risk Factor for Prosthetic Joint Infection.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Allergy and Immunology

Background:

• Increasing rates of self-reported latex allergies have led to changes in surgical practices, such as using latex-free gloves.
• The impact of these changes on the risk of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) after arthroplasty remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if documented latex allergy is an independent risk factor for PJI and aseptic revision surgery after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective matched cohort study using an administrative claims database.
• Matched 1:4 cohorts of patients with documented latex allergy and control subjects for TKA and THA.
• Multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess risk factors.

Main Results:

• Patients undergoing TKA with latex allergy had a significantly higher risk of PJI at 90 days (OR, 1.26) and 1 year (OR, 1.22).
• Patients undergoing TKA with latex allergy had a significantly higher risk of aseptic revision at 1 year (OR, 1.21).
• Patients undergoing THA with latex allergy had a significantly higher risk of PJI at 1 year (OR, 1.19).

Conclusions:

• Latex allergy is associated with an increased risk of PJI after TKA and THA, and aseptic revision after TKA.
• Further investigation is required to determine if these risks are modifiable or if arthroplasty pathways need adjustment for patients with latex allergy.