Administering Antibiotics for Less Than Four Weeks Increases the Risk of Relapse in Culture-Positive Septic Arthritis of Native Joints

Abstract

(1) Objectives: This study investigated the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy and determined the risk factors associated with relapse in patients with culture-proven septic arthritis of native joints. (2) Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on patients aged ≥18 years diagnosed with native joint septic arthritis, with bacteria isolated from joints and/or blood. The exclusion criteria were prosthetic joint infections and cases with no identified microorganisms. The outcomes were assessed in the remission and relapse groups. (3) Results: Among 479 patients with native joint septic arthritis, 137 met the inclusion criteria, with a median follow-up duration of 2.7 years. The relapse rate was 9.5%, which mainly occurred within 30 days after antibiotic treatment completion. Compared with the remission group, the relapse group showed a significantly higher proportion of cases that received antibiotic therapy for ≤ 4 weeks (4.8% vs. 46.2%, p < 0.001), synovial fluid white blood cell (WBC) counts ≥150 × 103/mm3 (25.3% vs. 60.0%, p = 0.030), acute kidney injury (19.2% vs. 50%, p = 0.024), and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases-producing Enterobacteriaceae (0.8 vs. 15.4%, p = 0.024). Independent risk factors for relapse were determined as antibiotic therapy duration of ≤ 4 weeks (odds ratio (OR), 25.47; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.57–412.33; p = 0.023) and synovial fluid WBC counts ≥150 × 103/mm3 (OR, 17.46; 95% CI, 1.74–175.62; p = 0.015). (4) Conclusions: Patients with native joint septic arthritis require vigilant monitoring for relapse, particularly when treated with antibiotic regimens administered for less than four weeks or when synovial aspirates exhibit elevated WBC counts at diagnosis.