Evaluation of the Role for Synovial Aspiration in the Diagnosis of Aseptic Loosening After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Macrophages-derived exosomes modulates wear particle-induced osteolysis via miR-3470b targeting TAB3/NF-κB signaling

Image 1.

Reliable Diagnostic Tests and Thresholds for Preoperative Diagnosis of Non-Inflammatory Arthritis Periprosthetic Joint Infection: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review

Objective

The current diagnostic criteria for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) are diverse and controversial, leading to delayed diagnosis. This study aimed to evaluate and unify their diagnostic accuracy and the threshold selection of serum and synovial routine tests for PJI at an early stage.

Methods

We searched the MEDLINE and Embase databases for retrospective or prospective studies which reported preoperative‐available assays (serum, synovial, or culture tests) for the diagnosis of chronic PJI among inflammatory arthritis (IA) or non‐IA populations from January 1, 2000 to June 30, 2022. Threshold effective analysis was performed on synovial polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN%), synovial white blood cell (WBC), serum C‐reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) to find the relevant cut‐offs.

Results

Two hundred and sixteen studies and information from 45,316 individuals were included in the final analysis. Synovial laboratory‐based α‐defensin and calprotectin had the best comprehensive sensitivity (0.91 [0.86–0.94], 0.95 [0.88–0.98]) and specificity (0.96 [0.94‐0.97], 0.95 [0.89–0.98]) values. According to the threshold effect analysis, the recommended cut‐offs are 70% (sensitivity 0.89 [0.85–0.92], specificity 0.90 [0.87–0.93]), 4100/μL (sensitivity 0.90 [0.87–0.93], specificity 0.97 [0.93–0.98]), 13.5 mg/L (sensitivity 0.84 [0.78–0.89], specificity 0.83 [0.73–0.89]), and 30 mm/h (sensitivity 0.79 [0.74–0.83], specificity 0.78 [0.72–0.83]) for synovial PMN%, synovial WBC, serum CRP, and ESR, respectively, and tests seem to be more reliable among non‐IA patients.

Conclusions

The laboratory‐based synovial α‐defensin and synovial calprotectin are the two best independent preoperative diagnostic tests for PJI. A cut off of 70% for synovial PMN% and tighter cut‐offs for synovial WBC and serum CRP could have a better diagnostic accuracy for non‐IA patients with chronic PJI.

What Is the Impact of Automated Synovial Cell Counting on Different Aseptic Causes and Periprosthetic Conditions Associated With Revision THA?

BACKGROUND

Studies have suggested that automated synovial cell counting may overestimate the white blood cell (WBC) count, resulting in false positive tests when evaluating patients for the possibility of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after THA. However, associations between WBC counts high enough to mimic PJI in patients whose arthroplasties are not infected but rather are experiencing a variety of aseptic problems-including but not limited to metallosis, polyethylene wear, and recurrent dislocation-have not, to our knowledge, been adequately addressed. In addition, there is a lack of analyses about the polymorphonuclear percentage (PMN%) when assessed by automated analyzers in this context.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

In the context of different indications for aseptic revision and different periprosthetic hip pathologic findings, we asked: (1) What were the synovial WBC count levels, and what proportion of values were above the 2018 International Consensus Meeting (ICM) cutoff (3000 cells/μL)? (2) What were the synovial PMN% levels, and what proportion of values were above the 2018 ICM (70%)?

METHODS

We retrospectively studied the preoperative cell count analyses of synovial fluid in patients who underwent revision THA for aseptic reasons at our tertiary referral arthroplasty center between January 2015 and December 2017. We considered all revisions performed on patients during that time potentially eligible, and after prespecified exclusions were applied (exclusions mainly included 15% [197 of 1306] sporadic missing data and 12% [155 of 1306] insufficient synovial fluid obtained in the aspirate), a total of 702 patients undergoing revision THA for aseptic reasons remained for the final analysis. As far as we know, no patients underwent re-revision for PJI at a mean follow-up of 46 ± 11 months, which tends to confirm our impression that indeed these hips did not have PJI. Cell count analyses were conducted using an automated analyzer. Clinical findings, preoperative radiographs, and surgical reports--confirmed by available histologic results--were used to establish diagnoses. We evaluated these hips considering the recommendations of the 2018 ICM (WBC count of 3000 cells/μL and PMN% of 70%) to see what proportion of them would have been characterized as likely having PJI on basis of those cutoff values. The mean WBC count for the entire cohort was 2120 ± 2395 cells/μL. The mean PMN% for the entire cohort was 36% ± 22%.

RESULTS

Compared with aseptic loosening and recurrent dislocation, polyethylene wear had the highest mean WBC count (3817 ± 3711 cells/μL; p < 0.001). Of the investigated periprosthetic conditions, wear-induced synovitis had the highest value (4464 ± 3620 cells/μL; p < 0.001). Considering the ICM threshold, polyethylene wear showed the highest proportion of WBC counts above 3000 cells/μL among the indications for aseptic revision (60% [25 of 42]; p < 0.001). Of the periprosthetic conditions, wear-induced synovitis showed the highest proportion beyond the ICM cutoff (60% [50 of 83]; p < 0.001). The mean PMN% for aseptic causes ranged between 28% and 44% without differences among them (p = 0.12). Patients with metallosis had the highest mean PMN% of the periprosthetic conditions investigated (45% ± 25%; p = 0.007). Regarding the ICM threshold, metallosis resulted in the largest proportion of patients with a PMN% above 70% (21% [10 of 47]; p = 0.003), and that for wear-induced synovitis was 6% (5 of 83; p = 0.42) and for osteolysis was 3% (1 of 33; p = 0.51). There were no differences among aseptic loosening, recurrent dislocation, and polyethylene wear in terms of the proportion above 70% among the aseptic revision causes.

CONCLUSION

Using automated cell counting, we found that WBC counts differ widely across indications for aseptic revision THA, and a high proportion of patients who underwent revision THA for aseptic reasons had WBC counts above the commonly used threshold of 3000 cells/μL. However, the PMN% was much less affected in several common indications for aseptic revision THA, making this measure more reliable for interpreting aspiration results using an automated analyzer. Based on the data distributions we observed, manual counting techniques might be considered in particular among patients with polyethylene wear, metal-on-metal bearing surfaces, or suspected metallosis. However, an elevated WBC count alone, observed using an automated analyzer in the context of polyethylene wear, should not be considered to be strongly suggestive of PJI, since that finding occurred so commonly among patients without infection.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, diagnostic study.

Comparative analysis of 23 synovial fluid biomarkers for hip and knee periprosthetic joint infection detection

There is interest in novel synovial fluid biomarkers for the detection of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Here, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of 23 simple or sophisticated synovial fluid biomarkers for periprosthetic hip or knee infection detection. One hundred seven subjects were studied, 57 of whom had aseptic failure (AF) and 50 PJI. The following synovial fluid biomarkers were tested using spectrophotometric assays, immunoassays, lateral flow tests, or test strips: leukocyte count, monocyte percentage, lymphocyte percentage, neutrophil percentage, C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose, lactate, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interferon-γ, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-23, tumor necrosis factor-α, α-defensin, and leukocyte esterase. The best-performing synovial fluid biomarkers to differentiate PJI from AF-that is, those with highest area under the curve compared to all other biomarkers-were leukocyte count, percent neutrophils and percent monocytes, CRP, and α-defensin (P < .0001).

Treatment of osteochondral defects: chondrointegration of metal implants improves after hydroxyapatite coating

PURPOSE

The treatment of osteochondral defects in joint cartilage remains challenging due to its limited repair capacity. This study presents a metallic osteochondral plug with hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated cap edges for improved implant-tissue contact. The hypothesis was that improved attachment prevents from synovial fluid-influx and thereby avoids osteolysis and resulting implant instability.

METHODS

In total, 24 female, adult sheep were randomized into three groups. All animals received an Episealer^®-implant in the medial condyle of the right knee. The implants were coated with two different HA versions or uncoated (control group). After 12 weeks, the implant-tissue connections were analysed radiologically and histologically.

RESULTS

In general, the groups with the coated cap edges showed a better quality of tissue connection to the implant. The occurrence of gaps between tissue and implant was more seldom, the binding of calcified and hyaline cartilage to the cap was significantly better than in the uncoated group. A histomorphometrically measured lower amount of void space in these groups compared to the group with the uncoated edges confirmed that.

CONCLUSIONS

The hypothesis of a tighter cartilage bone contact was confirmed. The HA coating of the implant's cap edges resulted in better adherence of cartilage to the implant, which was not previously reported. In conclusion, this led to a better contact between implant and cartilage as well as neighbouring bone. In clinical routine, joint fluid is aggressive, penetrates through cartilage rifts, and promotes osteolysis and loosening of implants. The observed sealing effect will act to prevent joint fluid to get access to the implant-tissue interfaces. Joint fluid is aggressive, can cause osteolysis, and can, clinically cause pain. These effects are liable to decrease with these findings and will further the longevity of these osteochondral implants.

Factors to Consider When Assessing the Diagnostic Accuracy of Synovial Leukocyte Count in Periprosthetic Joint Infection

Synovial white blood cell (WBC) count and the percentage of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN%) is one of the diagnostic criteria to diagnose a periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Although the test is widely available, the diagnostic accuracy of proposed cut-off levels are influenced by several factors, such as: the affected joint, co-morbid conditions, the causative microorganism and the gathering and processing of samples in the laboratory. In this narrative review we provide an overview on how and to what extent these factors can affect the synovial WBC count and PMN% in synovial fluid.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Serum, Synovial, and Tissue Testing for Chronic Periprosthetic Joint Infection After Hip and Knee Replacements: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication that can occur following total joint replacement. Patients with chronic PJI report a substantially lower quality of life and face a higher risk of short-term mortality. Establishing a diagnosis of chronic PJI is challenging because of conflicting guidelines, numerous tests, and limited evidence. Delays in diagnosing PJI are associated with poorer outcomes and morbid revision surgery. The purpose of this systematic review was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of serum, synovial, and tissue-based tests for chronic PJI.

METHODS

This review adheres to the Cochrane Collaboration's diagnostic test accuracy methods for evidence searching and syntheses. A detailed search of MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the grey literature was performed to identify studies involving the diagnosis of chronic PJI in patients with hip or knee replacement. Eligible studies were assessed for quality and bias using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Meta-analyses were performed on tests with sufficient data points. Summary estimates and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curves were obtained using a bivariate model.

RESULTS

A total of 12,616 citations were identified, and 203 studies met the inclusion criteria. Of these 203 studies, 170 had a high risk of bias. Eighty-three unique PJI diagnostic tests were identified, and 17 underwent meta-analyses. Laboratory-based synovial alpha-defensin tests and leukocyte esterase reagent (LER) strips (2+) had the best performance, followed by white blood-cell (WBC) count, measurement of synovial C-reactive protein (CRP) level, measurement of the polymorphonuclear neutrophil percentage (PMN%), and the alpha-defensin lateral flow test kit (Youden index ranging from 0.78 to 0.94). Tissue-based tests and 3 serum tests (measurement of interleukin-6 [IL-6] level, CRP level, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]) had a Youden index between 0.61 to 0.75 but exhibited poorer performance compared with the synovial tests mentioned above.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of the literature pertaining to chronic PJI diagnostic tests is heterogeneous, and the studies are at a high risk for bias. We believe that greater transparency and more complete reporting in studies of diagnostic test results should be mandated by peer-reviewed journals. The available literature suggests that several synovial fluid-based tests perform well for diagnosing chronic PJI and their use is recommended in the work-up of any suspected case of chronic PJI.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Diagnostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Significant increase of pathogen detection rate by dry arthroscopic biopsies at suspected low-grade infection following total knee arthroplasty: a prospective observational study

INTRODUCTION

The differentiation between stiff-knee and low-grade periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is the current diagnostic challenge in total knee (TKA) revision arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to investigate the additional value of dry biopsies, compared to wet biopsies, in patients presenting with knee stiffness following primary TKA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Single center, prospective observational study. Consecutive patients with joint stiffness of unknown origin following primary TKA were enrolled. Patient assessment followed the diagnostic standard algorithm. During diagnostic arthroscopy, synovial fluid (synovial WBC, PMN%) and five dry biopsies (dry) were collected. Then fluid was infused and another five microbiology (wet) and five histological biopsies gathered, all from identical locations. The primary outcome parameter was the difference between the pathogens in wet and dry biopsies.

RESULTS

71 patients (61% females, 67 ± 10 years) were eligible. Preoperative blood serology mean CRP (0.7 ± 1.5 mg/dl; p = 0.852), WBC (6.6 ± 1.7 G/l; p = 0.056), and synovial fluid mean WBC (1639 ± 2111; p = 0.602), PMN% (38 ± 28; p = 0.738) did not differ between patients with negative, positive wet or dry biopsies. The histology was in 11% positive (p = 0.058). In 32% at least one pathogen was detected, 48% from wet, 44% from dry biopsies. An inhomogeneous distribution was found. Cutibacterium acnes (100%) was solely found in wet, Micrococcus luteus (75%), Staphylococcus capitis (67%), and Micrococcus lylae (100%) were predominantly found in dry biopsies. Additional dry biopsies increased the pathogen detection rate by 49%.

CONCLUSION

The addition of dry biopsies to the current standard diagnostic algorithm for PJI increased the pathogen detection rate by 49%.

How Reliable Is the Cell Count Analysis in the Diagnosis of Prosthetic Joint Infection?

BACKGROUND

Synovial analysis of joint aspirates is a key diagnostic tool; all major diagnostic algorithms include cell count (CC) and polymorphonuclear percentage (PMN%) as important criteria to make the diagnosis. In this context, we conducted this study to analyze the overall accuracy of CC and PMN%.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective analysis was performed with clinical data of included patients, with a total of 524 preoperative joint aspirations (255 hips, 269 knees). From the aspirated synovial fluid, we tested the leukocyte esterase activity, leukocyte CC, and PMN%, and sent specimens for aerobic and anaerobic bacterial culture. Depending on the clinical results in accordance with the Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria for prosthetic joint infection (PJI), 203 patients were then admitted for aseptic revision and 134 patients for septic exchange.

RESULTS

In 337 cases (64.3% of the study patients), it was possible to measure the CC. The best cutoff level for PJI of all study patients was 2582 leukocytes/μL (sensitivity [SE] 80.6%, specificity [SP] 85.2%) and a PMN% of 66.1% (SE 80.6%, SP 83.3%). The chosen cutoff levels for PJI of total knee and total hip arthroplasty were 1630 leukocytes/μL (SE 83.6%, SP 82.2%) and a PMN% of 60.5% (SE 80.3%, SP 77.1%) and 3063 leukocytes/μL (SE 78.1%, SP 80.0%) and a PMN% of 66.1% (SE 82.2%, SP 82.4%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

CC and PMN% are sensitive methods for diagnosing PJI of total hip and total knee arthroplasty. However, there are differences in cutoff levels between knees and hips. International guidelines and diagnostic criteria need revisions in terms of these parameters.

Nonsurgical Treatment of Aseptic Periprosthetic Gout Flare of the Knee: A Report of 2 Cases

CASE

Gout is a rarely reported cause of a painful knee following total knee arthroplasty, but it can mimic infection in its symptomatology and workup. Two individuals who had previously undergone a knee replacement and had a history of gout had symptoms of infection. These patients presented with knee warmth and effusion, and they had elevated inflammatory markers and synovial cell counts. In both cases, there was a good response to medication, and surgery was avoided.

CONCLUSION

Although simultaneous infection can occur, aseptic periprosthetic gout should be considered in individuals with a known history of gout, in those with a good response to anti-gout medication, and when there is an otherwise negative workup for infection.