Should ESR and CRP be Included in the Routine Preoperative Workup for Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty? Dale T. Landry Jr., MD Vinod Dasa, MD
Disclosures • Dale T. Landry Jr., MD • None • Vinod Dasa, MD • Paid Consultant • Bioventus • Myoscience • Stock • Pacira • Research Support • Cropper Medical • Department of Defense
Background • Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) • Most devastating complication of total joint arthroplasty • Most common reason for total knee arthroplasty 1 • 1% - 3% incidence with Primary Osteoarthritis 2-3 • 2% - 4% incidence with Rheumatoid Arthritis 4-5 • 3% - 7% incidence with Diabetes 6-7 • Cost of treatment of PJI over $50,000 per patient 8 • Overall yearly cost of greater than $300,000,000 2-3, 8 BozicKJ, et.al. The epidemiology of revision total knee arthroplasty in the United States. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2010;468:45-51. Phillips JE, et.al.. The incidence of deep prosthetic infections in a specialist orthopaedic hospital: a 15-year prospective survey. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2006;88:943-8. Della Valle CJ, et.al. PE. Periprosthetic sepsis. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2004;420:26-31. Wilson, M. G.; et.al.. Infection as a complication of total knee-replacement arthroplasty. Risk factors and treatment in sixty-seven cases. J. Bone and Joint Surg., 12-A: 878-883, July 1990 Poss, R.; et.al.. Factors influencing the incidence and outcome of infection following total joint arthroplasty. Clin. Orthop., 182:117-126,1984. England, S. P.; et.al.. Total knee arthroplasty in diabetes mellitus. Clin. Orthop., 260: 130-134,1990. Papagelopoulos, P, et.al.. Long term outcome and survivorship analysis of primary total knee arthroplasty in patients with diabetes mellitus. Clin. Orthop., 330:124-132,1996. Maderazo, E. G.; et.al. Late infections of total joint prostheses. A review and recommendations for prevention. Clin. Orthop., 229:131-142,1988
Background • Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) & C-Reactive Protein (CRP) • Simple, inexpensive, readily available, and accurate • Measures of the Acute Phase Reaction • Diagnosis of PJI • Treatment of PJI by following the trends • ESR/CRP in combination are effective tools for helping diagnose PJI • Postop elevated levels of ESR/CRP are predictors of PJI 9-11 • Normal trends of ESR/CRP following THA/TKA are well-studied Della Valle C, et.al.. Preoperative testing for sepsis before revision total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2007;22(6 Suppl. 2):90-3. GreidanusNV, et.al.. Use of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level to diagnose infection before revision total knee arthroplasty. A prospective evaluation. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2007;89:1409-16. ParviziJ, et.al.. Diagnosis of infected total knee: findings of a multicenter database. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2008;466:2628-33..
Background • Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) 12-13 • Peaks on post-op day 5 • Returns to normal at 7-9 months with TKA • C-Reactive Protein (CRP) 14-15 • Peaks on post-op day 2 • Returns to normal by 3-4 weeks with TKA • Remains WNL for aseptic loosening 16 • ESR/CRP nonspecific for PJI, and can be elevated in a number of other medical conditions 17 Park KK, et.al: Normative Temporal Values of CRP and ESR in Unilateral and Staged Bilateral TKA. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2008 Jan;466(1):179-88. Epub 2008 Jan 3. BilgenO, et.al..: C-reactive protein values and erythrocyte sedimentation rates after total hip and total knee arthroplasty. J Int Med Res. 2001 Jan-Feb;29(1):7-12 Larsson S, et.al..: C-reactive protein (CRP) levels after elective orthopedic surgery. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 1992 Feb;(275):237-42. Niskanen, R. O, et.al., H.: Serum C-reactive protein levels after total hip and knee arthroplasty. J. Bone and Joint Surg., 78-B(3): 431-433,1996. Shih, L.-Y., et.al.: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein values in patients with total hip arthroplasty. Clin. Orthop., 225:238-246,1987. Nielen M, et.al.. Increased levels of C-reactive protein in serum from blood donors before the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatology. 2004; 50: 2423 – 2427
Background • Sensitivity for PJI 18-19 • Elevated ESR .82 • Elevated CRP .96 • Excellent Negative Predictive Value when both are WNL • Combination of ESR/CRP shown to be a cost-effective screening protocol for diagnosis of PJI 20 • Similar findings of the usefulness of combined ESR and CRP in the setting of PJI following TKA or THA have been reported 21-22 SpangehlMJ, et. al.. Prospective analysis of preoperative and intraoperative investigations for the diagnosis of infection at the sites of two hundred and two revision total hip arthroplasties. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1999 May;81(5):672-83 GreidanusNV, et. al.. Use of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level to diagnose infection before revision total knee arthroplasty. A prospective evaluation. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2007 Jul;89(7):1409-16. Austin MS, et. al. .: A simple, cost-effective screening protocol to rule out periprosthetic infection. J Arthroplasty. 2008 Jan; 23(1):65-8 Bernard L, et. al.: Value of preoperative investigations in diagnosing prosthetic joint infection: retrospective cohort study and literature review. Scand J Infect Dis. 2004;36(6-7):410-6. SchinskyM, Della Valle C. Perioperative testing for joint infection in patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2008; 90: 1869 – 1875.
Background • Normal Range of ESR 23-24 • Patient < 50 yrs • Males < 15 mm/hr • Females < 25 mm/hr • Patient > 50 yrs • Males < 20 mm/hr • Females < 30mm/hr • Normal Range of CRP 25 • CRP < 8.2mg/L Caswell M. Effect of patient age on tests of the acute-phase response. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1993;117:906–909 Bottinger LE, et. al. Normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate and age. Br Med J. 1967 Apr 8;2(5544):85-7 Shine B, et. al.. Solid-Phase Radioimmunoassays for C-reactive protein. Clin. Chim. Acta. 1981; 117:13–23.
Background • However, patients undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty have other comorbid medical conditions that may affect ESR/CRP • Urinary Tract Infection 26 • Rheumatoid Arthritis 27 • Hepatitis-C 28 • Crohn’s Disease 29 • Systemic Lupus Erythematosis30 • Psoriasis 31 • Obesity 32 RohrmannS, et. al.Serum C-reactive protein concentration and lower urinary tract symptoms in older men in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). The Prostate. 2005; 62: 27 – 33. NielenM, et. al.. Increased levels of C-reactive protein in serum from blood donors before the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatology. 2004; 50: 2423 – 2427. Salter M, et. al.. Correlates of Elevated Interleukin-6 and C-Reactive Protein in Persons With or at High Risk for HCV and HIV Infections. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. 2013; 24: 488 – 495. Fagan E, et. al.. Serum levels of C-reactive protein in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. European Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1982; 12: 351 – 359. Borg E, et. al. C-reactive protein levels during disease exacerbations and infections in systemic lupus erythematosus: a prospective longitudinal study. The Journal of Rheumatology. 1990; 17: 1642 – 1648 Stern, S. H.; et. al.. Total knee arthroplasty in patients with psoriasis. Clin. Orthop., 248:108-111,1989. Wilson, M. Get. Al.. Infection as a complication of total knee-replacement arthroplasty. Risk factors and treatment in sixty-seven cases. J. Bone and Joint Surg., 12-A: 878-883, July 1990
Background • Little data exists on interpretation of preoperative Elevated ESR/CRP • No data exists on how to interpret postoperatively elevated ESR/CRP levels in the setting of preoperative elevation
Study Purpose • Primary • Define the prevalence of preoperatively elevated ESR and CRP within a cohort of healthy patients undergoing primary Total Knee Arthroplasty • Secondary • Define any comorbidities that may contribute to preoperatively elevated ESR and CRP
Materials & Methods • Retrospective chart review of patients who underwent Primary TKA with one surgeon between October 2009 – May 2011 • Demographics Including • Age • Gender • BMI • Medical Comorbidities • Pre-Op Lab Values Recorded • CRP • ESR • WBC
Materials & Methods • Overall Cohort Inclusion Criteria • Total Knee Arthroplasty from October 2007 – May 2011 • Pre-Op Labs Within 30 Days of Procedure • WBC/ESR/CRP • At Least Six Months of Follow-Up • 94 Patients • Idiopathic Cohort Exclusion Criteria • Previous Arthroplasty Performed • Pre-Op Infection/UTI • Chronic Inflammatory Process • 78 Patients
Results • Overall Cohort • Elevated ESR • 41.5% (31/94) • Elevated CRP • 28.7% (27/94) • Idiopathic Cohort • Elevated ESR • 38.5% (30/78) • Elevated CRP • 26.9% (21/78)
Comparison of Overall Cohort and Idiopathic Cohort of Elevated ESR/CRP by Percent vs BMI (kg/m2) • Patients with BMI of 30 – 39.9 • 36 % Elevated ESR • 19.5% Elevated CRP • Patients with BMI > 40 • 64.7% Elevated ESR • 64.7% Elevated CRP • Patients with BMI of 18.5 – 24.9 • 0% Elevated ESR • 0% Elevated CRP • Patients with BMI of 25 – 29.9 • 23.5% Elevated ESR • 11.8% Elevated CRP
Comparison in Idiopathic Cohort of BMI Classification to Mean ESR and CRP
Conclusions • Significant number of otherwise healthy patients undergoing TKA with idiopathically elevated ESR/CRP • Elevated ESR 38.5% • Elevated CRP 26.9% • It is inappropriate to assume that an otherwise healthy patient has a normal ESR/CRP prior to undergoing primary joint arthroplasty
Conclusions • Direct correlation between BMI category and ESR/CRP • Preoperatively, as patient’s BMI category increases, one should assume that their ESR/CRP levels are likely elevated • Patients with BMI of 18.5 – 24.9 kg/m2 • 0% Elevated ESR • 0% Elevated CRP • Patients with BMI of 25 – 29.9 kg/m2 • 23.5% Elevated ESR • 11.8% Elevated CRP • Patients with BMI of 30 – 39.9 kg/m2 • 36 % Elevated ESR • 19.5% Elevated CRP • Patients with BMI > 40 kg/m2 • 64.7% Elevated ESR • 64.7% Elevated CRP
Conclusions • As BMI category increases, so to does the mean of both elevated ESR/CRP as well as the mean of normal ESR/CRP • If periprosthetic infection is present, what threshold ESR/CRP levels in different BMI classes should be used to determine infection clearance and timeliness of arthroplasty re-implantation? • Suggests that large scale prospective studies should be performed to determine more accurate BMI category-specific normal reference ranges for ESR/CRP
Conclusions • Until the results of this study are validated or refuted with large scale trials, one should consider attaining preoperative ESR/CRP values on all patients undergoing joint arthroplasty • Cheap & Readily available • May help put elevated post-op ESR/CRP values into perspective in a patient with a painful arthroplasty • Do these elevated values represent true periprosthetic infection? • Are these lab values being interpreted as elevated when in fact they are WNL with respect to the patient’s BMI?
Acknowledgments • Vinod Dasa, MD • Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center • Department of Orthopaedic Surgery • Ochsner Medical Center Kenner
References • Bozic KJ, Kurtz SM, Lau E, Ong K, Chiu V, Vail TP, Rubash HE, Berry DJ. The epidemiology of revision total knee arthroplasty in the United States. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2010;468:45-51. • Bozic KJ, Kurtz SM, Lau E, Ong K, Vail TP, Berry DJ. The epidemiology of revision total hip arthroplasty in the United States. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2009;91:128-33. • Maderazo, E. G.; Judson, S.; and Pasternak, H.: Late infections of total joint prostheses. A review and recommendations for prevention. Clin. Orthop., 229:131-142,1988 • Phillips JE, Crane TP, Noy M, Elliott TS, Grimer RJ. The incidence of deep prosthetic infections in a specialist orthopaedic hospital: a 15-year prospective survey. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2006;88:943-8. • Della Valle CJ, Zuckerman JD, Di Cesare PE. Periprosthetic sepsis. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2004;420:26-31. • Peersman G, Laskin R, Davis J, PetersonM. Infection in total knee replacement: a retrospective review of 6489 total knee replacements. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2001; 392:15-23. • J¨amsen E, Varonen M, Huhtala H, Lehto MU, Lumio J, Konttinen YT, Moilanen T. Incidence of prosthetic joint infections after primary knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2010;25:87-92. • Kurtz SM, Lau E, Schmier J, Ong KL, Zhao K, Parvizi J. Infection burden for hip and knee arthroplasty in the United States. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2008;23:984-91. • Mason JB, FehringTK,OdumSM, GriffinWL, Nussman DS. The value of white blood cell counts before revision total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2003;18:1038-43. • Della Valle CJ, Sporer SM, Jacobs JJ, Berger RA, Rosenberg AG, Paprosky WG. Preoperative testing for sepsis before revision total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2007;22(6 Suppl. 2):90-3.
References • Greidanus NV, Masri BA, Garbuz DS, Wilson SD, McAlinden MG, Xu M, Duncan CP. Use of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level to diagnose infection before revision total knee arthroplasty. A prospective evaluation. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2007;89:1409-16. • Parvizi J, Ghanem E, Sharkey P, Aggarwal A, Burnett RS, Barrack RL. Diagnosis of infected total knee: findings of a multicenter database. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2008;466:2628-33. • Caswell M. Effect of patient age on tests of the acute-phase response. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1993;117:906–909. • Shine B, de Beer F. Solid-Phase Radioimmunoassays for C-reactive protein. Clin. Chim. Acta. 1981; 117:13–23. • Rohrmann S, De Marzo A. Serum C-reactive protein concentration and lower urinary tract symptoms in older men in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). The Prostate. 2005; 62: 27 – 33. • Nielen M, Schaardenburg D. Increased levels of C-reactive protein in serum from blood donors before the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatology. 2004; 50: 2423 – 2427. • Salter M, Lau B. Correlates of Elevated Interleukin-6 and C-Reactive Protein in Persons With or at High Risk for HCV and HIV Infections. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. 2013; 24: 488 – 495. • Fagan E, Dyck R. Serum levels of C-reactive protein in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. European Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1982; 12: 351 – 359. • Borg E, Horst G. C-reactive protein levels during disease exacerbations and infections in systemic lupus erythematosus: a prospective longitudinal study. The Journal of Rheumatology. 1990; 17: 1642 – 1648
References • Vessely MB, Whaley AL, Harmsen WS, Schleck CD, Berry DJ. Long-term survivorship and failure modes of 1000 cemented condylar total knee arthroplasties. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2006 Nov;452:28-34. • Fehring TK, Odum S, Griffin WL, Mason JB, Nadaud M. Early failures in total knee arthroplasty. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2001 Nov;(392):315-8. • Wilson, M. G.; Kelley, K.; and Thornhill, T. S. Infection as a complication of total knee-replacement arthroplasty. Risk factors and treatment in sixty-seven cases. J. Bone and Joint Surg., 12-A: 878-883, July 1990 • Poss, R.; Thornhill, T. S.; Ewald, F. C; Thomas, W. H.; Batte, N. J.; and Sledge, C. B. Factors influencing the incidence and outcome of infection following total joint arthroplasty. Clin. Orthop., 182:117-126,1984. • England, S. P.; Stern, S. H.; Insall, J. N.; and Windsor, R. E. Total knee arthroplasty in diabetes mellitus. Clin. Orthop., 260: 130-134,1990. • Papagelopoulos, P. J.; Idusuyi, O. B.; Wallrichs, S. L.; and Morrey, B. F. Long term outcome and survivorship analysis of primary total knee arthroplasty in patients with diabetes mellitus. Clin. Orthop., 330:124-132,1996. • Rand, J. A., and Fitzgerald, R. H., Jr. Diagnosis and management of the infected total knee arthroplasty. Orthop. Clin. North America, 20:201-210,1989. • Greene, K. A.; Wilde, A. N.; and Stulberg, B. N. Preoperative nutritional status of total joint patients. Relationship to postoperative wound complications. J. Arthroplasty, 6: 321-325,1991
References • Jensen, J. E.; Jensen, T. G.; Smith, T. K.; Johnston, D. A.; and Dudrick, S. J. Nutrition in orthopaedic surgery. J. Bone and Joint Surg., 64-A: 1263-1272, Dec. 1982. • Smith, T. K.: Nutrition: its relationship to orthopedic infections. Orthop. Clin. North America, 22:373-377,1991 • Gherini, S.; Vaughn, B. K.; Lombardi, A. V., Jr.; and Mallory, T. H. Delayed wound healing and nutritional deficiencies after total hip arthroplasty. Clin. Orthop., 293:188-195,1993. • Stern, S. H.; Insall, J. N.; Windsor, R. H.; Inglis, A. E.; and Dines, D. M. Total knee arthroplasty in patients with psoriasis. Clin. Orthop., 248:108-111,1989. • Park KK, Kim TK, Chang CB, Yoon SW, Park KU.: Normative Temporal Values of CRP and ESR in Unilateral and Staged Bilateral TKA. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 2008 Jan;466(1):179-88. Epub 2008 Jan 3. • Larsson S, Thelander U, Friberg S.: C-reactive protein (CRP) levels after elective orthopedic surgery. ClinOrthopRelat Res. 1992 Feb;(275):237-42. • Bilgen O, Atici T, Durak K, Karaeminoğullari, Bilgen MS.: C-reactive protein values and erythrocyte sedimentation rates after total hip and total knee arthroplasty. J Int Med Res. 2001 Jan-Feb;29(1):7-12 • Niskanen, R. O.; Korkala, O.; and Pammo, H.: Serum C-reactive protein levels after total hip and knee arthroplasty. J. Bone and Joint Surg., 78-B(3): 431-433,1996. • Shih, L.-Y.; Wu, J.-J.; and Yang, D.-J.: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein values in patients with total hip arthroplasty. Clin. Orthop., 225:238-246,1987. • Austin MS, Ghanem E, Joshi A, Lindsay A, Parvizi J.: A simple, cost-effective screening protocol to rule out periprosthetic infection. J Arthroplasty. 2008 Jan; 23(1):65-8.
References • Spangehl MJ, Masri BA, O'Connell JX, Duncan CP.: Prospective analysis of preoperative and intraoperative investigations for the diagnosis of infection at the sites of two hundred and two revision total hip arthroplasties. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1999 May;81(5):672-83. • Greidanus NV, Masri BA, Garbuz DS, Wilson SD, McAlinden MG, Xu M, Duncan CP.:Use of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level to diagnose infection before revision total knee arthroplasty. A prospective evaluation. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2007 Jul;89(7):1409-16. • Bernard L, Lübbeke A, Stern R, Bru JP, Feron JM, Peyramond D, Denormandie P, Arvieux C, Chirouze C, Perronne C, Hoffmeyer P; GroupeD'Etude Sur L'Ostéite.: Value of preoperative investigations in diagnosing prosthetic joint infection: retrospective cohort study and literature review. Scand J Infect Dis. 2004;36(6-7):410-6. • Schinsky M, Della Valle C. Perioperative testing for joint infection in patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2008; 90: 1869 – 1875. • Visser M, Bouter L. Elevated C-Reactive Protein Levels in Overweight and Obese Adults. JAMA. 1999; 282: 2131 – 2135. • Yudkin J, Stehouwer A. C-Reactive Protein in Healthy Subjects: Associations With Obesity, Insulin Resistance, and Endothelial Dysfunction: A Potential Role for Cytokines Originating From Adipose Tissue? ArteriosclerThrombVasc Biol. 1999; 19: 972-978. • Samocha-Bonet D, Lichtenberg D. Enhanced Erythrocyte Adhesiveness Aggregation in Obesity Corresponds to Low-Grade Inflammation. Obesity. 2003; 11: 403 – 407.
Thank You