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Changes in Clinical Practice After Publication of the Prophylactic Antibiotic Regimens in Tumor Surgery (PARITY) Randomized Controlled Trial

Samir Sabharwal, R. Becker, M. Monument, P. Schneider, Thomas Schubert, Michelle Ghert, Carol D. Morris

Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2025

Abstract

BACKGROUND

The Prophylactic Antibiotic Regimens in Tumor Surgery (PARITY) trial was a multicenter randomized clinical trial comparing a 1-day with a 5-day postoperative intravenous antibiotic regimen after lower extremity bone tumor resection and endoprosthetic reconstruction. The trial found no difference in surgical site infections between groups, but a markedly increased risk for antibiotic-related complications in the 5-day group. The study was published in January 2022. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of these findings on the clinical practice of musculoskeletal oncologists.

METHODS

We developed an anonymous survey exploring changes in clinical practice after the publication of the PARITY trial and electronically distributed the survey to practicing musculoskeletal oncologists through REDCap in March 2024. Data were analyzed descriptively, and changes in practice from before to after the publication of the PARITY study were analyzed through the Pearson chi-square test.

RESULTS

We obtained 101 responses from surgeons across six continents. Nearly all respondents (94 of 101, 93%) were aware of the PARITY trial results. Forty respondents (40%) reported a meaningful change in clinical practice after PARITY, most frequently a reduction of antibiotic administration in >75% of patients. After PARITY, the proportion of respondents who reported limiting antibiotics to 24 hours increased from 25% to 51% (P < 0.001), and the proportion prescribing oral…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.

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