Preliminary observations of the possible association between granulocytic dysfunction and risk of prosthetic infection in rheumatoid arthritis

Abnormalities of polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte locomotor responses were observed in rheumatoid patients who underwent total joint arthroplasties. As a group, responses of those who developed prosthetic infections were significantly more abnormal than those who escaped this complication. These results suggest that PMN dysfunction is a risk factor in these patients and that testing PMN function may assist in predicting the rheumatoid patient who may be at a greater risk of developing prosthetic infection following total joint arthroplasty.