Objectives: The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the association between obesity and risk of surgical site infections (SSI) risk in orthopedics.
Methods: We searched the electronic database of PubMed and Web of Science for observational studies about risk factors for SSI risk in orthopedics, meta-analysis of body mass index (BMI) between infection group and no infection group, infection rate in obesity expose and no obesity expose were conducted, respectively.
Results: A total of 20 studies included in the meta-analysis. The pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) of BMI between infection group and no infection group was 0.329 (95% CI 0.215-0.444), which was statistically significant (z = 5.65, p = 0.000). The pooled relative risk (RR) of infection rate compare obesity expose with no obesity expose was 1.915 (95% CI 1.530-2.396), which was statistically significant (z = 5.68, p = 0.000). No publication bias was found (Begg test P = 0.174 and Egger test P = 0.345) in pooled WMD of BMI. But there was significant publication bias in pooled RR of infection rate (Begg test P = 0.001 and Egger test P = 0.001).
Conclusion: Our meta-analysis indicates that obesity had about twofold increased risk of surgical site infections risk in orthopedics. However, this conclusion should be verified by further well designed prospective cohort studies.
Copyright © 2013 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.