Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42347995›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie2026

Role of procalcitonin and interleukin-6 in early detection of infection in patients undergoing conversion from external fixation to definitive internal fixation in open fractures- A pilot study.

Vikas Bachhal, Sameer Aggarwal, Kuldeep Rathor, Rajesh Kumar Rajnish, Deepy Zohmangaihi

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Article in European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1 citing paper in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Vikas BachhalDepartment Of Orthopedics, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Sameer AggarwalDepartment Of Orthopedics, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Kuldeep RathorDepartment of Orthopedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhopal, Bhopal, India. kuldeeprathor21@gmail.com.
Rajesh Kumar RajnishDepartment of Orthopedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur, Jodhpur, India.
Deepy ZohmangaihiDepartment of Biochemistry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFracture related infections (FRI) are more commonly associated with open fractures. Currently available diagnostic criteria for FRI can diagnose them once infection is clinically apparent. Novel biomarkers procalcitonin and interleukin-6 have established a role in periprosthetic joint infections. We conducted this study to determine their role in predicting FRI in patients with open fractures undergoing staged, early definitive fixation conversion.

methodsthis was prospective, cohort study included patients undergoing definitive fixation of long bones within 2 weeks of primary external fixation in open fractures. Serum IL-6 and PCT levels were evaluated on day 0, day 3, day 7 of primary external fixator and 1 day prior to definitive internal fixation. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, LR+, LR-, Diagnostic accuracy and AUC in ROC curve were determined for both biomarkers individually as well as in combination.

resultstotal 86 patients underwent primary external fixator application. 10 patients developed infection before definitive fixation. 28 patients were excluded after the first surgery but prior to definitive fixation due to wound dehiscence, pin-tract infection, or unfit for second surgery. A total of 48 patients underwent definitive fixation, out of them 5 developed infections in follow-up. Hence a total of 15 patients were in infection cohort. PCT had better Sensitivity than IL-6 alone or with IL-6 and PCT combined whereas IL-6 and PCT combined had better specificity. Both biomarkers had poor PPV, but good NPV Both biomarkers had good diagnostic accuracy when used in combination (Table 2). Combination of these two tests had better AUC then individually. (Table 2, Figures 2,3,4)

conclusionProcalcitonin and IL-6 are good predictors of infection when used before definitive fixation while early (within 2 weeks) conversion from external fixation. However, these results require studies with larger sample size and higher number of cases in both groups.

Indexed as

Fracture FixationFracture Fixation, InternalFractures, OpenInterleukin-6ProcalcitoninSurgical Wound InfectionAdultAgedBiomarkersEarly DiagnosisExternal FixatorsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsBiomarkersIL6 protein, humanInterleukin-6ProcalcitoninFracture related infectionFRIIL-6Interleukin-6Open fracturesProcalcitonin

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PMID42347995

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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.