Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis: Risk Factors for Therapeutic Failure and Recurrence

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the prognostic factors associated with therapeutic failure and recurrence in pyogenic spondylodiscitis (PS). Methods: A historical cohort study was conducted in a reference Brazilian hospital for locomotor system and neurodevelopmental diseases. All patients with PS treated between January 1999 and December 2018 and followed for at least one year were included. PS was defined based on clinical, laboratory, and radiological criteria. Microbiological data and clinical outcomes at the end of follow-up were also collected and analyzed. Results: Fifty patients (mean age 50.94 ± 15.84 years, men 76.00%) were included. After twelve months of follow-up, therapeutic failure was observed in 24.00% (n = 12) and recurrence in 18.00% (n = 09) patients. Among those who were cured, residual symptoms were found in 50.00% (19/38). No deaths were observed. After multivariate analysis, therapeutic failure was associated with the prescription of antibiotic therapy before culture results (p = 0.0153), spinal cord compression (p = 0.0053), and sensory deficits (p = 0.0341). Furthermore, recurrence was associated with previous nonspinal surgeries (p = 0.0350) and spinal cord compression (p = 0.0447). Conclusion: PS causes significant morbidity. The prognosis depends mainly on the clinical presentation at admission, especially when associated with spinal cord compression, which reinforces the importance of early diagnosis. Level of Evidence II; Prognostic Studies.