Despite the interest in the association of gut microbiota with bone health, limited population-based studies of gut microbiota and bone mineral density (BMD) have been made. Our aim is to explore the possible association between gut microbiota and BMD. A total of 3,321 independent loci of gut microbiota were used to calculate the individual polygenic risk score (PRS) for 114 gut microbiota-related traits. The individual genotype data were obtained from UK Biobank cohort. Linear regressions were then conducted to evaluate the possible association of gut microbiota with L1-L4 BMD (n = 4,070), total BMD (n = 4,056), and femur total BMD (n = 4,054), respectively. PLINK 2.0 was used to detect the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) × gut microbiota interaction effect on the risks of L1-L4 BMD, total BMD, and femur total BMD, respectively.Aims
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The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional, observational cohort study of patients presenting for revision of a total hip, or total or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, to understand current routes to revision surgery and explore differences in symptoms, healthcare use, reason for revision, and the revision surgery (surgical time, components, length of stay) between patients having regular follow-up and those without. Data were collected from participants and medical records for the 12 months prior to revision. Patients with previous revision, metal-on-metal articulations, or hip hemiarthroplasty were excluded. Participants were retrospectively classified as ‘Planned’ or ‘Unplanned’ revision. Multilevel regression and propensity score matching were used to compare the two groups.Aims
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The aim of this study is to assess the impact of a pilot enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programme on length of stay (LOS) and post-discharge resource usage via service evaluation and cost analysis. Between May and December 2019, 100 patients requiring hip or knee arthroplasty were enrolled with the intention that each would have a preadmission discharge plan, a preoperative education class with nominated helper, a day of surgery admission and mobilization, a day one discharge, and access to a 24/7 dedicated helpline. Each was matched with a patient under the pre-existing pathway from the previous year.Aims
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This study aimed to investigate the relationship between changes in patellar height and clinical outcomes at a mean follow-up of 7.7 years (5 to 10) after fixed-bearing posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty (PS-TKA). We retrospectively evaluated knee radiographs of 165 knees, which underwent fixed-bearing PS-TKA with patella resurfacing. The incidence of patella baja and changes in patellar height over a minimum of five years of follow-up were determined using Insall-Salvati ratio (ISR) measurement. We examined whether patella baja (ISR < 0.8) at final follow-up affected clinical outcomes, knee joint range of motion (ROM), and Knee Society Score (KSS). We also assessed inter- and intrarater reliability of ISR measurements and focused on the relationship between patellar height reduction beyond measurement error and clinical outcomes.Aims
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Deep surgical site infection (SSI) remains an unsolved problem after hip fracture. Debridement, antibiotic, and implant retention (DAIR) has become a mainstream treatment in elective periprosthetic joint infection; however, evidence for DAIR after infected hip hemiarthroplaty is limited. Patients who underwent a hemiarthroplasty between March 2007 and August 2018 were reviewed. Multivariable binary logistic regression was performed to identify and adjust for risk factors for SSI, and to identify factors predicting a successful DAIR at one year.Aims
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Aims. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of spinal instrumentation in haemodialyzed patients with native pyogenic spondylodiscitis. Spinal instrumentation in these patients can be dangerous due to rates of complications and mortality, and biofilm formation on the instrumentation. Patients and Methods. A total of 134 haemodialyzed patients aged more than 50 years who underwent surgical treatment for pyogenic spondylodiscitis were included in the study. Their mean age was 66.4 years (50 to 83); 66 were male (49.3%) and 68 were female (50.7%). They were divided into two groups according to whether spinal instrumentation was used or not. Propensity score matching was used to attenuate the potential selection bias. The outcome of treatment was compared between these two groups. Results. A total of 89 patients (66.4%) underwent non-instrumented surgery and 45 (33.5%) underwent instrumented surgery. There were no significant differences in the rates of postoperative complications, except for an increased rate of wound problems in the instrumented group, which was found in the unmatched cohorts (p = 0.034). There were no significant differences in the rate of recurrent infections (p = 0.328 for the unmatched cohort; p = 0.269 for the matched cohort) and mortality rate, including in-hospital (p = 0.713 for the unmatched cohort; p = 0.738 for the matched cohort) and one-year rates (p = 0.363 for the unmatched cohort; p = 0.787 for the matched cohort), between the groups. However, the interval between the initial
Assessment of bone mineral density (BMD) with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a well-established clinical technique, but it is not available in the acute trauma setting. Thus, it cannot provide a preoperative estimation of BMD to help guide the technique of fracture fixation. Alternative methods that have been suggested for assessing BMD include: 1) cortical measures, such as cortical ratios and combined cortical scores; and 2) aluminium grading systems from preoperative digital radiographs. However, limited research has been performed in this area to validate the different methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the evaluation of BMD from digital radiographs by comparing various methods against DXA scanning. A total of 54 patients with distal radial fractures were included in the study. Each underwent posteroanterior (PA) and lateral radiographs of the injured wrist with an aluminium step wedge. Overall 27 patients underwent routine DXA scanning of the hip and lumbar spine, with 13 undergoing additional DXA scanning of the uninjured forearm. Analysis of radiographs was performed on ImageJ and Matlab with calculations of cortical measures, cortical indices, combined cortical scores, and aluminium equivalent grading.Aims
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Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) are used for prognostication and monitoring in patients with carcinomas, but their utility is unclear in sarcomas. The objectives of this pilot study were to explore the prognostic significance of cfDNA and investigate whether tumour-specific alterations can be detected in the circulation of sarcoma patients. Matched tumour and blood were collected from 64 sarcoma patients (n = 70 samples) prior to resection of the primary tumour (n = 57) or disease recurrence (n = 7). DNA was isolated from plasma, quantified, and analyzed for cfDNA. A subset of cases (n = 6) underwent whole exome sequencing to identify tumour-specific alterations used to detect ctDNA using digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR).Aims
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We aimed to evaluate the long-term outcome of highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) cemented acetabular components and assess whether any radiolucent lines (RLLs) which arose were progressive. We retrospectively reviewed 170 patients who underwent 187 total hip arthroplasties at two hospitals with a minimum follow-up of ten years. All interventions were performed using the same combination of HXLPE cemented acetabular components with femoral stems made of titanium alloy. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed for the primary endpoint of acetabular component revision surgery for any reason and secondary endpoint of the appearance of RLLs. RLLs that had appeared once were observed over time. We statistically assessed potential relationships between RLLs and a number of factors, including the technique of femoral head autografting and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score.Aims
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Aims. Instability continues to be a troublesome complication after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patient-related risk factors associated with a higher dislocation risk include the preoperative
Aims. To assess the diagnostic value of C-reactive protein (CRP), leucocyte count (LC), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in late fracture-related infection (FRI). Materials and Methods. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched focusing on the diagnostic value of CRP, LC, and ESR in late FRI. Sensitivity and specificity combinations were extracted for each marker. Average estimates were obtained using bivariate mixed effects models. Results. A total of 8284 articles were identified but only six were suitable for inclusion. Sensitivity of CRP ranged from 60.0% to 100.0% and specificity from 34.3% to 85.7% in all publications considered. Five articles were pooled for meta-analysis, showing a sensitivity and specificity of 77.0% and 67.9%, respectively. For LC, this was 22.9% to 72.6%, and 73.5% to 85.7%, respectively, in five articles. Four articles were pooled for meta-analysis, resulting in a 51.7% sensitivity and 67.1% specificity. For ESR, sensitivity and specificity ranged from 37.1% to 100.0% and 59.0% to 85.0%, respectively, in five articles. Three articles were pooled in meta-analysis, showing a 45.1% sensitivity and 79.3% specificity. Four articles analyzed the value of combined inflammatory markers, reporting an increased diagnostic accuracy. These results could not be pooled due to heterogeneity. Conclusion. The serum inflammatory markers CRP, LC, and ESR are insufficiently accurate to diagnose late FRI, but they may be used as a suggestive sign in its
The aim of this study was to establish a reliable method for producing 3D reconstruction of sonographic callus. A cohort of ten closed tibial shaft fractures managed with intramedullary nailing underwent ultrasound scanning at two, six, and 12 weeks post-surgery. Ultrasound capture was performed using infrared tracking technology to map each image to a 3D lattice. Using echo intensity, semi-automated mapping was performed to produce an anatomical 3D representation of the fracture site. Two reviewers independently performed 3D reconstructions and kappa coefficient was used to determine agreement. A further validation study was undertaken with ten reviewers to estimate the clinical application of this imaging technique using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).Aims
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Patients with soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) who undergo unplanned excision (UE) are reported to have worse outcomes than those who undergo planned excision (PE). However, others have reported that patients who undergo UE may have similar or improved outcomes. These discrepancies are likely to be due to differences in characteristics between the two groups of patients. The aim of the study is to compare patients who underwent UE and PE using propensity score matching, by analyzing data from the Japanese Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor (BSTT) registry. Data from 2006 to 2016 was obtained from the BSTT registry. Only patients with STS of the limb were included in the study. Patients with distant metastasis at the initial presentation and patients with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and well-differentiated liposarcoma were excluded from the study.Aims
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To explore the effect of different durations of antibiotics after stage II reimplantation on the prognosis of two-stage revision for chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). This study involved a retrospective collection of patients who underwent two-stage revision for chronic PJI and continued to use extended antibiotic prophylaxis in two regional medical centres from January 2010 to June 2018. The patients were divided into a short (≤ one month) or a long (> one month) course of treatment based on the duration of antibiotics following stage II reimplantation. The difference in the infection control rate between the two groups was compared, and prognostic factors for recurrence were analyzed.Aims
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