Objective: This study aims to explore the predictive value of heparin-binding protein (HBP) in diagnosing prosthesis infections after total joint arthroplasty (TJA), in order to provide a new biomarker for early identification and management of prosthetic joint infections (PJI) post-TJA. Methods: A retrospective analysis of data from 168 patients who underwent TJA revision at Lianyungang First People's Hospital from October 2020 to March 2024 was conducted. The participants were divided into an infection group (38 cases) and a non-infection group (94 cases). Inclusion criteria included all patients undergoing joint prosthesis revision who had preoperative HBP levels measured. Primary assessment parameters included HBP, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) count, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Univariate analysis and multivariate regression analysis were used to evaluate the correlation of these factors with PJI, and the performance of HBP in predicting PJI was analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: There were significant statistical differences in HBP, CRP, WBC, and ESR between the infection and non-infection groups (p < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that HBP is an independent predictive factor for the risk of PJI. The area under the ROC curve was 0.856, indicating that HBP has good predictive performance. The optimal cutoff value for HBP was 51.3, with a sensitivity of 69.2% and a specificity of 89.5%. Conclusion: The study found that HBP levels are significantly associated with the occurrence of PJI following TJA, serving as an effective independent predictive factor for PJI risk. HBP has high predictive value and can be considered an important biomarker for predicting PJI post-TJA in clinical settings, aiding in the early identification and management of PJI, thereby improving patient treatment outcomes and quality of life.
Keywords: Heparin-binding protein; periprosthetic joint infection; total joint arthroplasty.