Prospective Cohort Study of Synovial Biomarkers in the Diagnosis and Prediction of Periprosthetic Joint Infection

Prosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) is one of the severe complications following arthroplasty. With the global aging population, the number of patients undergoing primary joint replacement surgeries is increasing, leading to a rise in PJI cases. Although the incidence of PJI is generally low, the impact on patients can be catastrophic. Once an infection occurs, it is further complicated by the rising global antibiotic resistance, imposing a significant economic burden on patients. Therefore, improving the diagnostic rate of PJI is crucial. Currently, various infection markers are used in the diagnosis of PJI. However, there is still a lack of highly sensitive and specific markers to effectively diagnose PJI, necessitating the exploration of new infection markers. This study aims to investigate novel infection markers for the diagnosis of PJI, providing evidence for its diagnosis and subsequent treatment. In this research, we will prospectively collect data from patients undergoing primary joint replacement and those developing PJI from June 2024 to December 2026. These patients will be categorized into non-infection and infection groups. By collecting and analyzing general patient data, surgery-related information, and infection-related indicators from preoperative joint fluid and blood samples, we aim to further evaluate the predictive value of these infection markers for PJI.