Evidence-Based Data Regarding the Use of Antibiotic-loaded Cement in Hip Arthroplasty. A bibliometric analysis of 50 years

Abstract

Introduction: The use of antibiotic-loaded cement is an intraoperative tool that has demonstrated potential benefits in hip arthroplasty. However, the global landscape of research on this topic remains unknown. The objective of this study was to analyze the scientific growth, characteristics, and metrics of global and historical research on the use of antibiotic-loaded cement in hip arthroplasty. Material and methods: A cross-sectional bibliometric study was conducted using Scopus as the data source. Results: A total of 523 documents published between 1973 and 2023 were selected. 89.9% (n=470) of the production consisted of original articles, with 11.85% being multi-center. 84.1% of the authors have published a single article, followed by 10.3% who have published two articles. Research has predominantly focused on adults or the elderly, with an emphasis on outcome evaluation (notably reoperation), assessing various antibiotic agents, and frequently employing retrospective designs. Conclusions: There has been a sustained increase in research on the use of antibiotic-loaded cement in hip arthroplasty over the last 50 years. The research trend has shifted towards the evaluation of adult or elderly patients, exploration of antimicrobial agents, techniques, and health outcomes, primarily using observational and retrospective designs. An emerging research-focus is the study of hip arthroplasty in rheumatoid arthritis patients.