Background: Although the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and two-stage revision failure of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total joint arthroplasty (TJA) have been frequently reported, the results remain controversial. Therefore, the correlation between them was systematically evaluated and meta-classified in this study. Methods: Literature on the correlation between BMI and two-stage revision failure of PJI following TJA was retrieved in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library due May 2020. Stata 13.0 software and Cochrane Collaboration Review Manager software (RevMan version 5.3) were applied to data synthesis, subgroup analysis, analyses of publication bias, and sensitivity. Results: A total of 15 observational studies included 1267 patients, of which 15 studies were included in systematic review and 11 studies in meta-analysis. Eight studies found a correlation between BMI and two-stage revision failure of PJI following TJA, but seven other studies found no correlation. Meta-analysis found that the risk of two-stage revision failure of PJI following TJA significantly boosted by 3.53 times in patients with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (OR = 3.53; 95% CI = 1.63-7.64 for the BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 vs. BMI < 30 kg/m2) and the risk of two-stage revision failure of PJI following TJA significantly increased by 2.92 times in patients with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 (OR = 2.92; 95%CI = 1.06-8.03 for the BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 vs. BMI < 30 kg/m2). The subgroup analysis showed that significant association was observed among the studies performed in TKA (OR = 3.63; 95% CI = 2.27-5.82), but not among those conducted in THA (OR = 3.06; 95% CI = 0.42-22.19). A significant association remained consistent, as indicated by sensitivity analyses. Because there are too few studies that can be combined in the included studies, Egger's and Begg's tests were not performed. Conclusion: Meta-analysis suggests that the risk of two-stage revision failure of PJI following TJA significantly boosted in obese patients. However, because there may be publication bias of this study, combined overall systematically evaluated and meta-analysis results, we cannot yet conclude that BMI is associated with two-stage revision failure of PJI following TJA.
Keywords: body mass index; meta-analysis; periprosthetic joint infection; systematic review; two-stage revision.