The Role of Synovial Cytokines in the Diagnosis of Periprosthetic Joint Infections: Current Concepts
Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious and potentially devastating complication of total joint arthroplasty. Accurate diagnosis of PJI is of utmost importance, but differentiating septic from aseptic failed total joint arthroplasty is extremely challenging, and improper management can lead to significant morbidity. The gold standard for PJI diagnosis is based on standardized laboratory and clinical criteria but relies on preoperative and intraoperative findings, which can be unreliable. Given these limitations, research has focused on new methods for diagnosing PJI. Synovial fluid inflammatory cytokines have been found to accurately diagnose PJI. In this article, we review the synovial fluid cytokines that are being used as aids in PJI diagnosis.
Even though the synovial molecular markers can detect the presence of infection, they are unable to identify pathogens. As identifying the pathogen is important in the treatment of PJI, there has been interest in using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques.51 These tests may also provide specific information about the pathogen, such as its antibiotic sensitivity. A recently developed technology, the Ibis T5000 Universal Biosensor (Ibis Biosciences), uses novel pan-domain primers in a series of PCRs. This biosensor is useful in diagnosing infections when cultures are negative and appears to be more accurate than conventional PCR.13 As reported by Jacovides and colleagues,13 this novel PCR technique identified an organism in about 88% of presumed cases of aseptic revision.
Conclusion
PJI poses an extreme challenge to the healthcare system. Given the morbidity associated with improper management of PJI, accurate diagnosis is of paramount importance. Given the limitations of current tests, synovial fluid cytokines hold promise in the diagnosis of PJIs. However, these cytokines are expensive, and their clinical utility in PJI management is not well established. More research is needed before guidelines for synovial fluid cytokines and biomarkers can replace or be incorporated into guidelines for the treatment of PJIs.
