BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is still a challenge in some patients after total joint replacement. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) strongly participates in the arrangement of the host-bacteria response. Therefore, increased levels of IL-6 should accompany every PJI. PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to show diagnostic characteristics of serum IL-6 for the diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection (PJI). We also compared the diagnostic values of serum IL-6 with synovial IL-6 (sIL-6) and synovial C-reactive protein (sCRP). STUDY DESIGN: We performed a prospective study of 240 patients in whom serum IL-6 was determined before total hip (n = 124) or knee (n = 116) reoperations. The PJI diagnosis was based on the MSIS (Musculoskeletal Infection Society) criteria (2011). Receiver operating characteristic plots were constructed for IL-6, sIL-6, and sCRP. RESULTS: PJI was diagnosed in 93 patients, and aseptic revision was diagnosed in 147 patients. The AUC (area under curve) for IL-6 was 0.938 (95% CI; 0.904-0.971). The optimal IL-6 cut-off value for PJI was 12.55 ng/L. Positive and negative likelihood ratios for IL-6 were 8.24 (95% CI; 4.79-14.17) and 0.15 (95% CI; 0.09-0.26), respectively. The optimal sIL-6 and sCRP cut-off values were 20,988 ng/L and 8.80 mg/L, respectively. Positive and negative likelihood ratios for sIL-6 were 40.000 (95% CI; 5.7-280.5) and 0.170 (95% CI; 0.07-0.417), respectively. Negative likelihood ratio for sCRP was 0.083 (95% CI; 0.022-0.314). CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified the cut-off values for serum/synovial IL-6 and synovial CRP for diagnostics of PJI at the site of THA and TKA and separately for each site. The diagnostic odds ratio for serum/synovial IL-6 and synovial CRP is very good. Simultaneous positivity of serum IL-6 either with synovial IL-6 or synovial CRP almost excludes false negative detection of PJI at the site of interest.

Department of Clinical Biochemistry Teaching Hospital Olomouc Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Hemato Oncology Teaching Hospital Olomouc Faculty of Medicine Palacky University Olomouc Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Medical Biophysics Faculty of Medicine Palacky University Olomouc Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Orthopaedics Teaching Hospital Olomouc Faculty of Medicine Palacky University Olomouc Olomouc Czech Republic

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