Patient-related risk factors of prosthetic joint infections following total hip and knee arthroplasty at King Abdulaziz Medical City, a 10-year retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) can be associated with the development of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). It is necessary to determine the modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors of PJI to provide optimum healthcare to TJA candidates. METHODS: This single-center retrospective review investigated 1198 patients who underwent TJA from 2012 to 2022. The data analysis comprised two stages. The first stage was a descriptive analysis, while the second stage was a bivariate analysis. The sociodemographic data, medical history, operative details, and presence of PJI postoperatively were evaluated. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 1198 patients who underwent TJA. The mean patient age was 63 years. Among the patients, only 1.3% had PJI. No comorbidity was significantly related to PJI. General anesthesia was used in almost 21% of the patients and was significantly associated with a higher risk of infection (p = 0.049). An increased operative time was also significantly related to PJI (p = 0.012). Conversely, tranexamic acid (TXA) administration was a protective factor against PJI (p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: Although PJI is not a common complication of TJA, multiple risk factors such as general anesthesia and prolonged operative time play a significant role in its development. In contrast, TXA administration is thought to reduce the risk of PJI effectively.