Detecting the Presence of Bacterial DNA and RNA by Polymerase Chain Reaction to Diagnose Suspected Periprosthetic Joint Infection after Antibiotic Therapy

Objective To explore the diagnostic efficiency of DNA‐based and RNA‐based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Methods To determine the detection limit of DNA‐based and RNA‐based qPCR in vitro, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains were added to sterile synovial fluid obtained from a patient with knee osteoarthritis. Serial dilutions of samples were analyzed by DNA‐based and RNA‐based qPCR. Clinically, patients who were suspected of having PJI and eventually underwent revision arthroplasty in our hospital from July 2014 to December 2016 were screened. Preoperative puncture or intraoperative collection was performed on patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria to obtain synovial fluid. DNA‐based and RNA‐based PCR analyses and culture were performed on each synovial fluid sample. The patients’ demographic characteristics, medical history, and laboratory test results were recorded. The diagnostic efficiency of both PCR assays was compared with culture methods. Results The in vitro analysis demonstrated that DNA‐based qPCR assay was highly sensitive, with the detection limit being 1200 colony forming units (CFU)/mL of S. aureus and 3200 CFU/mL of E. coli. Meanwhile, The RNA‐based qPCR assay could detect 2300 CFU/mL of S. aureus and 11 000 CFU/mL of E. coli. Clinically, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 65.7%, 100%, and 81.6%, respectively, for the culture method; 81.5%, 84.8%, and 83.1%, respectively, for DNA‐based qPCR; and 73.6%, 100%, and 85.9%, respectively, for RNA‐based qPCR. Conclusions DNA‐based qPCR could detect suspected PJI with high sensitivity after antibiotic therapy. RNA‐based qPCR could reduce the false positive rates of DNA‐based assays. qPCR‐based methods could improve the efficiency of PJI diagnosis.