title: Antibiotic prophylaxis for dental patients with joint prostheses? A decision analysis.
abstract: A decision analysis was performed to assess the risks, costs, and effects of no prophylaxis, oral penicillin, and cephalexin regimens currently being debated for dental patients at risk for late prosthetic joint infection (LPJI). The analysis suggests that there is a very small risk of LPJI (29.3 cases per 10(6) dental visits), which is outweighed by a greater risk of death with an oral penicillin strategy than with a "no prophylaxis" strategy (2.31:1.93). An oral cephalosporin appears to spare life and limb but does so at an extremely high cost. Over $500,000 must be spent to spare one year of life, while $480,000 needs to be spent to prevent one case of LPJI. Some individual dental patients may still be at a much greater risk for LPJI than others. However, from the evidence to date, routine predental antibiotic prophylaxis for all prosthetic joint patients is a very expensive preventive strategy and is not cost-effective. However, clinical experience suggests that antibiotic prophylaxis may be appropriate in some situations.
authors: University of Michigan School of Dentistry.
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Jacobson
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Schweitzer
authors: D J
authors: DJ
authors: DePorter
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003663:Decision Trees; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011292:Premedication / Q000191:economics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents