Meta-analysis shows that obesity may be a significant risk factor for prosthetic joint infections.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to evaluate the association between the different degree of obesity and prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) after total hip replacement (THR) by performing a meta-analysis.


METHODS
PubMed, Cochrane library and Embase databases up to May, 2014 were retrieved for identifying relevant studies. Relative risk (RR) and their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used as effect sizes.


RESULTS
A total of 15 articles were included in this meta-analysis. The overall analyses showed that the risk of PJIs in the BMI ≥ 30 group and in BMI ≥ 40 group were significantly higher than that in the BMI < 30 group. As well, the prospective pooled results showed that overweight and obesity could significantly increase the incidence of PJIs.


CONCLUSIONS
Our meta-analysis indicates that all of obesity levels can significantly increase the risk of PJIs. However, further studies with more strict design are need in the future.
Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.
Zhongxi
Z
Ma
Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China. 82099179@microsci.com.
Fengjin
F
Guo
Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.
Jun
J
Qi
Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.
Wei
W
Xiang
Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.
Jinming
J
Zhang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications*; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
Body mass index; Meta-analysis; Prosthetic joint infections; Total hip replacement