Article

The aim of the present study was to assess incidence of
and risk factors for infection after hip arthroplasty in data from 3 national
health registries. We investigated differences in risk patterns between surgical
site infection (SSI) and revision due to infection after primary total hip
arthroplasty (THA) and hemiarthroplasty (HA). METHODS: This
observational study was based on prospective data from 2005-2009 on primary THAs
and HAs from the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register (NAR), the Norwegian Hip
Fracture Register (NHFR), and the Norwegian Surveillance System for
Healthcare-Associated Infections (NOIS). The Norwegian Patient Register (NPR) was
used for evaluation of case reporting. Cox regression analyses were performed
with revision due to infection as endpoint for data from the NAR and the NHFR,
and with SSI as the endpoint for data from the NOIS. RESULTS: The 1-year
incidence of SSI in the NOIS was 3.0% after THA (167/5,540) and 7.3% after HA
(103/1,416). The 1-year incidence of revision due to infection was 0.7% for THAs
in the NAR (182/24,512) and 1.5% for HAs in the NHFR (128/8,262). Risk factors
for SSI after THA were advanced age, ASA class higher than 2, and short duration
of surgery. For THA, the risk factors for revision due to infection were male
sex, advanced age, ASA class higher than 1, emergency surgery, uncemented
fixation, and a National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (NNIS) risk index of 2
or more. For HAs inserted after fracture, age less than 60 and short duration of
surgery were risk factors of revision due to infection. INTERPRETATION: The
incidences of SSI and revision due to infection after primary hip replacements in
Norway are similar to those in other countries. There may be differences in risk
pattern between SSI and revision due to infection after arthroplasty. The risk
patterns for revision due to infection appear to be different for HA and THA.

Langue : ANGLAIS