Do Steroids and Biologics Confer Postoperative Infection Risk?

Among rheumatoid arthritis patients who underwent arthroplasty, concomitant glucocorticoids were associated with excess risk.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often receive methotrexate, glucocorticoids, or biologic medications, which might confer risk for infection if joint arthroplasty is needed. Infectious risks of glucocorticoids are well known (NEJM JW Gen Med May 15 2018 and J Rheumatol 2018; 45:320), but we don't know much about the effects of specific biologics on risk for postoperative infection.

In this retrospective U.S. study of almost 11,000 surgical joint procedures in RA patients who received biologics within 2 months before surgery, researchers identified all wound and joint infections that occurred within 30 days after joint replacement and prosthetic joint infections that occurred within 1 year after surgery. Forty-three percent of patients…

Reviewing Author

Jonathan S. Coblyn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory BoardCVS Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Jonathan S. Coblyn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory BoardCVS Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Do Steroids and Biologics Confer Postoperative Infection Risk?

Topics

Reviewing Author