Clinical features, outcomes, and survival factor in patients with vertebral osteomyelitis infected by...

To elucidate clinico-radiological features, therapeutic outcomes, and survival factors of vertebral osteomyelitis patients infected by methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS).

Vertebral osteomyelitis patients admitted to the orthopaedic department between 2007 and 2011 (n = 248) were selected for this multicenter study. We compared patients' backgrounds, therapeutic course, and in-hospital mortality between MRS and methicillin-susceptible staphylococci (MSS). We also examined survival factors of vertebral osteomyelitis due to MRS.

Sixteen patients of MRS vertebral osteomyelitis and 55 patients of MSS were included in this study. In MRS vertebral osteomyelitis, the rates of comorbid diabetes mellitus, involvement of >2 vertebral bodies, in-hospital mortality, and operation of surgical debridement were higher compared to those in MSS vertebral osteomyelitis. Univariate analysis showed that operation of surgical debridement was a factor related to survival in MRS patients.

Higher rate of comorbid diabetes mellitus, involvement of >2 vertebral bodies, in-hospital mortality, and performing surgical debridement are peculiar features of MRS vertebral osteomyelitis compared to MSS vertebral osteomyelitis. If patients with MRS vertebral osteomyelitis respond poorly to antibiotic therapy, it might be better to consider surgical debridement not to lose an opportunity of operation due to exacerbation of systemic conditions.