Good Example Of Article Review On Authors: Pang-Hsin Hsieh1, Kuo-Chin Huang, Hsin-Nung Shih

Article summary

The article examines the level of susceptibility to developing a prosthetic joint infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis after undergoing a surgical operation. Additionally, the concept of demographics was discussed. From their retrospective analyses, the researchers found out that; 13.3% of the cases examined represented patients with RA; out of these, 74% were female; and prognosis of PJI in RA patients was poor.
There is main strength about this article; it gives the cause of treatment failure observed in RA patients with PJI. A prolonged stay of symptoms and failure to use antibiotics as a prophylactic adjunct during joint surgery has been cited. On the downside, the method of analysis used wasn't appropriate. The researchers should have chosen prospective cohort analysis in order to point out whether RA increases susceptibility of PJI; the retrospective study cannot achieve this.

Authors: Peter Ljung’, SivBornmy and Henry Svensson

Publication date: 28-11-1994
The effect of early elbow mobilization on wound healing was the subject of the focus of the three authors. They used a sample 50 rheumatoid arthritis patients that fitted in their inclusion criteria to draw conclusions. They concluded the following findings; lateral insertion of prostheses does not compromise patient’s skin microcirculation, and early mobilization of the elbow after surgery delays wound healing.
Some pros and cons are evident in their study. They chose to use Laser Doppler Imaging in demonstrating the integrity of microcirculation both pre and post operatively. This is a credible method in scientific physiology with the following components; laser, scanner, detector, and computerized display system. On the other hand, the sample size was so small to make the findings valid and reliable. Scientific researches should consist of approximately 200 subjects fitting the inclusion criteria; in the article above, 50 subjects were used.
Authors: Ryan M. Garcia MD, Brian T. Hardy MD, MBA, Matthew J. Kraay MS, MD, Victor M. Goldberg MD

Publication date: 30th August, 2010

The researchers monitored various aspects relating to revision failure of 39 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty in a period of twelve years. There were two groups of patients monitored; those whose revisions were due to mechanical failure and those due to infection. From their findings, 19% of the knees revised for mechanical failure failed a second time. Overall, 76% of the knees revised showed a high degree of survival.
As mentioned in the previous article’s analysis, this too used small sample size (39) patients. This is way below the recommended inclusion number. However, the main strengths were the use of level IV evidence and successful application of the retrospective analysis technique.
Authors: Elie F. Berbari, Douglas R. Osmon, Mary C. T. Duffy, R. N. William Harmssen, Jayawant N. Mandrekar, Arlen D. Hanssen and James M. Steckelberg
Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases, Vol. 42, No. 2 (Jan. 15, 2006), pp. 216-223

The nature of surgical operation used and levels of treatment failure in RA patients with PJI

They used a retrospective technique in their study. With PJI being one of the main complications in rheumatoid arthritis, the researchers were also concerned about the major cause of infection. 160 patients were included in the study, with 200 episodes of PJI examined.
They found staphylococcus aureus bacteria as being the main gram-positive microorganism in RA patients with PJI. Two stage exchanges gave the best results compared to the use of debridement.
The use of 160 patients makes the findings reliable; strength depicted in this study. However, the study design was inappropriate; the treating physicians made management decisions, lack of randomization is evident.

Works Cited

‘Wound healing after total elbow replacement in rheumatoid arthritis Peter Ljung,' SivBornmy and Henry Svensso, (1994)
Outcome of Prosthetic Joint Infection in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Impact of Medical and Surgical Therapy in 200 Episodes. : Elie F. Berbari, Douglas R. Osmon, Mary C. T. Duffy, R. N. William Harmssen, Jayawant N. Mandrekar, Arlen D. Hanssen and James M. Steckelberg Clinical Infectious Diseases, Vol. 42, No. 2 (Jan. 15, 2006), pp. 216-223
Prosthetic Joint Infection in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Outcome Analysis Compared with Controls: Pang-Hsin Hsieh1, Kuo-Chin Huang, Hsin-Nung Shih (2013)
Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty for Aseptic and Septic Causes in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Ryan M. Garcia MD, Brian T. Hardy MD, MBA, Matthew J. Kraay MS, MD, Victor M. Goldberg MD 30th August, 2010