J Orthop Trauma. 2025 Oct 7. doi: 10.1097/BOT.0000000000003092. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To determine the rate at which abstracts accepted for the Orthopedic Trauma Association (OTA) Annual Meeting from 2019 to 2024 utilized the Fracture-related Infection (FRI) Consensus Group’s definition for infection.
METHODS: Data Sources: The data sources for this study included the Orthopedic Trauma Association (OTA) Annual Meeting Programs from 2019-2024 and the “abstract search” portion of OTA Website.
STUDY SELECTION: All podium and poster abstract presentations that utilized keywords for infection (“fracture-related infection,” “infection,” or “SSI”) in the title.
DATA EXTRACTION: All abstracts were reviewed, and grouped into one of the four following categories based on the methodologic descriptors used to define infection characteristics: 1) Utilized Consensus Group Definition, 2) Utilized CDC Definition [deep, superficial, organ/space, or SSI terminology], 3) Utilized an Author Specific Definition, 4) Did Not Utilize Any Definition.
DATA SYNTHESIS: Univariate statistics were conducted to determine yearly and overall percentages of abstracts that utilized the Consensus Group’s definition as compared to the other 3 definition categories. Bivariate analysis was performed to determine if the use of Consensus Group’s definition varied from 2019-2024.
RESULTS: 52 podium abstracts and 59 poster abstracts were included. Among the podium abstracts, 4 (7.7%) utilized the Consensus Group’s definition of FRI, 37 (71.2%) utilized language from the CDC definition, 4 (7.7%) used an author specific definition, and 7 (13.5%) abstracts did not utilize any definition of descriptors of infection. Poster abstracts demonstrated similar utilization of methodical infection descriptors, as 5 (8.5%) utilized the Consensus Group’s definition of FRI. The number of abstracts that utilized the Consensus Group’s Definition did not vary from 2019-2024 (p=0.952 for podiums, p=0.451 for posters).
CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of the FRI Consensus Group’s definition among accepted OTA 2019-2024 Annual Meeting abstracts was low.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.
PMID:41056451 | DOI:10.1097/BOT.0000000000003092
