Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 231 cases with spinal infections / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To describe the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of spinal infections to assist the clinical diagnosis and treatment .Methods Clinical data of all cases with spinal infections at He′nan Provincial People′s Hospital from January 2010 to December 2014 were analyzed retrospectively . The demographic characteristics , risk factors , clinical characteristics and outcomes were evaluated . Variables were compared by t‐test ,chi‐square test or Fisher exact test when appropriate .Results Totally 231 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were reviewed ,of which 179 (77 .5% ) were pyogenic spinal infection (PSI) and 52 (22 .5% ) were tuberculous spinal infection (TSI) .The most common risk factor for infection was history of previous spinal surgery or procedure (43 .3% ) ,followed by diabetes mellitus (14 .7% ) .The infection site of lumbosacral spine was prominent with 114 cases (63 .7% ) in PSI and 38 cases (73 .1% ) in TSI .At initial presentation ,white cell blood count ([10 .8 ± 4 .5] × 109/L vs [7 .3 ± 3 .2]× 109/L ,t=2 .685) and C‐reactive protein levels ([79 ± 33] vs [37 ± 21] mg/L ,t=6 .241) in PSI were higher compared to TSI (both P<0 .05) .The positive rate of blood culture was significant higher than tissue culture in PSI (47 .9% vs 21 .8% ,χ2 = 6 .782 , P< 0 .05 ) .But the positive rate of blood culture was significantly lower than tissue culture in TSI (0 vs 39 .4% ,χ2 =8 .312 , P<0 .05) .Surgical treatment was performed in 30 .2% of PSI and 25 .0% of TSI .Conclusions History of spinal surgery or procedure is the most common risk factor for spinal infections , followed by diabetes mellitus . The lumbosacral spine is the common involved site in both PSI and TSI .The incidence of PSI is higher among spinal infections in our hospital .And Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogenic bacteria in PSI .