Published online Mar 18, 2021. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v12.i3.169
Peer-review started: July 5, 2020
First decision: January 7, 2021
Revised: January 12, 2021
Accepted: February 4, 2021
Article in press: February 4, 2021
Published online: March 18, 2021
Processing time: 250 Days and 0.5 Hours
There is little research investigating how human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) affects outcomes in orthopaedic surgery. With advances in treatment, HIV has become a chronic health problem and the chance of orthopaedic surgeons encountering it in clinical practice is increasing.
To ascertain the quantity and quality of peer-reviewed publications in orthopaedic journals about HIV.
A search of the Web of Science database was carried out, identifying any articles relating to HIV published in orthopaedic journals. These were assessed for geographic origin and level of evidence.
Of 48.7% of orthopaedic journals listed on the Web of Science database had published articles relating to HIV. There were 168 articles about HIV in orthopaedic journals with only 40.5% (n = 68) published in the time frame we analysed (January 2007 to September 2017). Very few articles came from low-income countries and any articles published from that setting were collaborations. All of the articles were low level of evidence.
There is a need for more high level orthopaedic and trauma research investigating the effects of HIV, particularly research from low-income countries, where higher level research will help to guide improvements in their treatment of its musculoskeletal manifestations and complications.
Core Tip: This paper looks in to the research being carried out in orthopaedic journals regarding human immunodeficiency virus and how it affects outcomes in orthopaedic and trauma surgery. We have shown that there is a significant lack of research in to this subject despite the fact there is a high prevalence of the disease in the setting which has the greatest burden of disease from trauma. Our findings highlight the need for further research to improve outcomes in trauma and orthopaedic surgery in these settings.