Short or Long Antibiotic Regimes in Orthopaedics

Plain-language summary

Research question: If adults with bone or joint infection have local antibiotic therapy, can they do without prolonged treatment with antibiotics by mouth (oral) or injection? Adults with bone or joint infections are usually given long courses of oral antibiotics or into a vein (intravenous) following surgery. It is also safe to give antibiotics directly into the bone or joint at the time of surgery: this is called local antibiotic therapy. This study investigates whether using local antibiotic therapy would allow shorter courses of oral or intravenous antibiotics, in order to limit antibiotic resistance, side effects and cost. This study compares short against long courses of oral or intravenous antibiotics for adults who have been given appropriate local antibiotic therapy to treat bone or joint infection. Patients who can take part will be randomly divided into two groups within 7 days of surgery. One group will stop oral or intravenous antibiotics, while the other group will continue for 4 weeks or more (standard treatment). Adults with bone and joint infections who have already had surgery and local antibiotic therapy will be invited. Patients will not take part if they need intravenous antibiotics for another reason, or if their infection is caused by bacteria resistant to the antibiotic(s) used in their local antibiotic therapy. Main measurement: how many patients' infections return within 12 months after surgery. This will be decided by a group of doctors who do not know what treatment the patient received. Other important measurements: serious adverse events; side-effects; quality of life; cost of treatment. Patients will be asked questions at their usual clinic visits, and will be given a questionnaire at the start of treatment and 1 year later.

Who can participate

What they're measuring

Trial details