Hand arthritis (per-protocol analysis) n=85 | 4 weeks n=39 | 2 weeks n=46 | P value* |
Female sex | 14 (36%) | 18 (39%) | 0.76 |
Median age | 52 years | 46 years | 0.33 |
Immune-suppression† | 4 (10%) | 5 (11%) | 0.93 |
Median ASA Score16 | 2 (IQR: 1–2) | 2 (IQR: 1–2) | 0.05 |
Serum C reactive protein at admission (median) | 15 mg/L | 8 mg/L | 0.45 |
Pain score on admission (median) | 4 points | 5 points | 0.15 |
Antibiotics before first surgery | 10 (26%) | 14 (30%) | 0.63 |
Delay onset of infection surgery (median) | 2 days (IQR: 1–3) | 1 day (IQR: 0–2) | 0.10 |
Staphylococcus aureus infection | 10 (26%) | 16 (35%) | 0.36 |
Streptococci | 9 (23%) | 7 (15%) | 0.36 |
Gram-negative pathogens | 12 (31%) | 13 (28%) | 0.80 |
Number of surgical lavages (median) | 1 (IQR: 1–1) | 1 (IQR: 1–1) | 0.23 |
Treatment with β-lactam antibiotics | 28 (72%) | 25 (76%) | 0.65 |
Duration of intravenous therapy (median) | 2 days | 1 day | 0.01 |
Complete microbiological remission | 37 (95%) | 45 (98%) | 0.46 |
Duration of sick leave (median) | 36 days | 27 days | 0.33 |
Number of outpatient attendances (median) | 7 controls | 8 controls | 0.77 |
Length of hospital stay (median) | 4 days | 3 days | 0.01 |
Mechanical or neurologic sequelae | 21 (55%) | 23 (50%) | 0.52 |
Antibiotic-related adverse events | 2 (5%) | 2 (4%) | 0.87 |
*Pearson χ² test or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, as appropriate.
†Immune-suppression=diabetes mellitus, active cancer, cirrhosis CHILD C, organ transplant and chronic steroid medication.