Table 1

Characteristics of the studies included in the meta-analysis

StudySource of study population/study periodSample sizeAge mean (SD) (years)Sex (male/female)Incidence rate of postoperative infectionTypes of infection studiedPotential risk factor(s)
Abram et al
201937		UK
1997–2017		104 255NR*80 820/23 4350.47%Deep infectionSex
Barker et al
201028		USA
2002–2006		3126NRNR0.58%Deep and superficial infectionGraft choice
Bohu et al
201916		France
2012–2016		180929.1 (9.8)1249/5600.38%Deep infectionSex, age, previous knee surgery history, professional athletes, out- or inpatient surgery, revision or primary surgery, a concomitant lateral extra-articular tenodesis
Brophy et al
201511		USA
2002–2005		219826.8 (11)NR0.8%Deep infectionAge, tobacco user, diabetes mellitus, graft choice
Brophy et al
202132		USA
2002–2011		142327.8 (9.9)832/5910.6%Deep infectionSex, age, tobacco user, diabetes mellitus
Cancienne et al 201631USA†
2007–2011		13 358NR*8677/46811%Deep and superficial infectionTobacco user
Greenberg et al 201033USA
2005–2008		86129.7 (11.1)557/3042.3%Superficial infectionGraft choice
Gupta et al
201825		India
2010–2015		146827.1 (3.1)1358/1101.8%Deep and superficial infectionSex, obesity, tobacco user, diabetes mellitus, steroid use history, graft choice
Hurvitz et al
202024		USA†
2008–2016		15 67124.4 (9.4)9917/57530.2%Deep infectionGraft choice
Judd et al
200629		USA
1999–2001		418NRNR5.5%Deep and superficial infectionPrevious knee surgery history, graft choice
Katz et al
200836		USA
2001–2005		78231.3 (10.4)NR0.77%Deep infectionAge, out- or inpatient surgery, graft choice
Kawata et al
201815		Japan
2010–2015		30 536NR*16 213/14 3230.94%Deep and superficial infectionSex, age, obesity, tobacco user, diabetes mellitus, steroid use history
Kraus et al
202114		Switzerland
2006–2013		25 30926.8 (15)14 521/10 7881.1%Deep infectionSex, age, obesity, tobacco user, diabetes mellitus, outpatient or inpatient surgery, revision or primary surgery, graft choice, a concomitant meniscal suture, operating time
Krutsch et al
201726		Germany
2008–2012		180931.4NR0.9%Deep infectionProfessional athletes
Leroux et al
201430		Canada
2004–2010		82730.3 (12.6)486/3412.2%Deep and superficial infectionSex
Maletis et al
201327		USA†
2005–2010		10 62629.5 (11.4)6831/37950.48%Deep and superficial infectionSex, graft choice
Marom et al
202238		USA
2010–2018		11 45130.3 (12.3)6384/50670.42%Deep infectionSex, age, tobacco user, diabetes mellitus, revision or primary surgery, graft choice
Murphy et al 20169USA
2000–2008		11 77231.0 (12.0)6428/
5344		1%Deep infectionSex, age, diabetes mellitus, previous knee surgery history, graft choice
RISTIĆ et al
201435		Serbia
NR		1425NRNR1.2%Deep infectionProfessional athletes, graft choice
Roecker et al 202110USA†
2010–2019		217 541NR*107 444/1 10 0970.8%Deep and superficial infectionSex, obesity, tobacco user, diabetes mellitus, a concomitant meniscal suture
Sonnery-Cottet et al 201113France
2003–2008		195724.2802/
1155		0.61%Deep infectionProfessional athletes, revision or primary surgery, a concomitant lateral extra-articular tenodesis
Sonnery-Cottet et al 201934France
2009–2017		442129.1 (8.0)3227/
1194		0.34%Deep infectionSex, professional athletes, revision or primary surgery, a concomitant lateral extra-articular tenodesis
Westermann et al
201712		USA
2007–2013		639832.8 (11.0)4048/
2350		0.61%Deep and superficial infectionSex, age, tobacco user, diabetes mellitus, steroid use history, out- or inpatient surgery, a concomitant meniscal suture, operating time

  • *The reported values are dichotomous variables.

  • †Both Cancienne et al (from 2007 to 2011) and Roecker et al (from 2010 to 2018) used the PearlDiver Mariner Records Database, and both Maletis et al (from 2005 to 2010) and Hurvitz et al (from 2008 to 2016) used the Kaiser Permanente ACLR registry. However, the overlapping study time periods were significantly smaller than the non-overlapping study time periods, so all the studies were included.

  • ACLR, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; NR, not reported.