Information for Medical Professionals
Rheumatoid arthritis increases likelihood of infection following knee arthroplasty
Patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of acquiring an infection following total knee arthroplasty, it has been claimed.
According to new research published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research, as a result of the increased likelihood of succumbing to infection, rheumatoid arthritis sufferers are also more likely to undergo revision following primary knee surgery.
The researchers behind the new paper, who were from the Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, noted that patients with rheumatoid arthritis were 1.6 times more likely to suffer an infection when compared to patients without the condition who underwent total knee arthroplasty.
As a result of the increased risk, rheumatoid arthritis patients also generally cost more to treat.
The scientists behind the study also found that women were less likely to contract an infection as a result of total knee arthroplasty than their male counterparts.
Recent research presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons showed that enzyme levels in knee joint synovial fluid can be used as a predictor of infection following knee surgery.
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