Study reveals lab values predict PJI risk in obese patients undergoing knee/hip replacement.

Lab values, including hemoglobin level, platelet count, and markers of inflammation, are independent predictors of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) risk in obese patients undergoing knee or hip replacement, according to a study in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The findings could help surgeons risk-stratify morbidly obese patients, who represent a growing high-risk TJA (total joint arthroplasty) population.