Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35043253›Full record

ArticleArchives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery2023

Analyzing risk factors for treatment failure in fracture-related infection.

Taylor M Yong, Forrest A Rackard, Lauren K Dutton, Michael B Sparks, Mitchel B Harris, Ida L Gitajn

Abstract read
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Article in Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
4.8field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 23 citations in OpenAlex.

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  4. Identifying risk factors for systemic complications following fracture-related infection.European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Taylor M YongDepartment of Orthopaedics, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA. taylormyong9@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4473-4239
Forrest A RackardGeisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA.
Lauren K DuttonDepartment of Orthopedics, Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
Michael B SparksDepartment of Orthopaedics, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA.
Mitchel B HarrisDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Ida L GitajnDepartment of Orthopaedics, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA.
Dartmouth College · USDartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center · USMassachusetts General Hospital · USNaval Hospital Jacksonville · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionFracture-related infection (FRI) represents a challenging clinical scenario. Limited evidence exists regarding treatment failure after initial management of FRI. The objective of our investigation was to determine incidence and risk factors for treatment failure in FRI. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe conducted a retrospective review of patients treated for FRI between 2011 and 2015 at three level 1 trauma centers. One hundred and thirty-four patients treated for FRI were identified. Demographic and clinical variables were extracted from the medical record. Treatment failure was defined as the need for repeat debridement or surgical revision seven or more days after the presumed final procedure for infection treatment. Univariate comparisons were conducted between patients who experienced treatment failure and those who did not. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify independent associations with treatment failure.

resultsOf the 134 FRI patients, 51 (38.1%) experienced treatment failure. Patients who failed were more likely to have had an open injury (31% versus 17%; p = 0.05), to have undergone implant removal (p = 0.03), and additional index I&D procedures (3.3 versus 1.6; p < 0.001). Most culture results identified a single organism (62%), while 15% were culture negative. Treatment failure was more common in culture-negative infections (p = 0.08). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was the most common organism associated with treatment failure (29%; p = 0.08). Multivariate regression demonstrated a statistically significant association between treatment failure and two or more irrigation and debridement (I&D) procedures (OR 13.22, 95% CI 4.77-36.62, p < 0.001) and culture-negative infection (OR 4.74, 95% CI 1.26-17.83, p = 0.02).

conclusionsThe rate of treatment failure following FRI continues to be high. Important risk factors associated with treatment failure include open fracture, implant removal, and multiple I&D procedures. While MRSA remains common, culture-negative infection represents a novel risk factor for failure, suggesting aggressive treatment of clinically diagnosed cases remains critical even without positive culture data. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective cohort study; Level III.

Indexed as

Fractures, BoneMethicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureusProsthesis-Related InfectionsAnti-Bacterial AgentsDebridementHumansRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsTreatment FailureTreatment OutcomeAnti-Bacterial AgentsCulture negativeFracture-related infectionImplant removalImplant retentionInfectionIrrigation and debridement

Identifiers

PMID35043253
OpenAlexW4205983602

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.