Ten-Year Experience with Native Joint Septic Arthritis: A Retrospective Cohort Study from a Tertiary Center

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology

Background:

• Native joint septic arthritis is a severe infection with significant morbidity and varied outcomes.
• Existing data on microbiological causes, treatments, and long-term results are inconsistent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the microbiological spectrum, treatment strategies, and long-term outcomes of native joint septic arthritis.
• To identify predictors of adverse outcomes and evaluate reoperation-free survival based on microbial etiology.

Main Methods:

• A decade-long retrospective study of 114 patients with native joint septic arthritis at a tertiary orthopedic center.
• Data collection included demographics, clinical parameters, microbiology, surgical interventions, and antibiotic use.
• Logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to assess outcomes and survival rates.

Main Results:

• Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant pathogen in both adults and children.
• Culture-negative cases and coagulase-negative staphylococci were also frequently observed.
• Elevated preoperative white blood cell count predicted unfavorable outcomes in adults; however, microbiologic etiology did not significantly impact reoperation-free survival.

Conclusions:

• Staphylococcus aureus remains the leading cause of native joint septic arthritis, with significant contributions from culture-negative and coagulase-negative staphylococci.
• Preoperative leukocytosis is a key predictor of poor outcomes.
• The lack of significant influence of microbiologic etiology on reoperation risk suggests the effectiveness of early therapeutic interventions.