Table 3 Clinical characteristics of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus

Sex

M: 63 (63.0%)

F: 37 (37.0%)

M:57 (65.5%)

F: 30 (34.5%)

0.761⁽²⁾

Age

67 [23–90] y

72 [47–89] y

0.052⁽³⁾

Spondylodiscitis

57 (57.0%)

68 (78.2%)

0.003⁽²⁾

Isolated spinal epidural empyema

43 (43.0%)

19 (21.8%)

Sepsis

56/100 (56.0%)

38/87 (43.7%)

0.108⁽²⁾

Septic embolism

29/79 (36.7%)

21/71 (29.6%)

0.389⁽²⁾

Endocarditis

13/86 (15.1%)

10/75 (13.3%)

0.824⁽²⁾

Relapse rate

10/64 (15.6%)

18/59 (30.5%)

0.056⁽²⁾

Disease-related mortality

6/100 (6.0%)

4/87 (4.6%)

0.753⁽²⁾

Length of hospital stay

31 [9-163] d

35 [10–165]

0.182⁽³⁾

Length of intensive care unit stay

8 [1–53] d

4 [1–46] d

0.093⁽³⁾

Spinal localization

Cervical spine

41 (41.0%)

18 (20.7%)

0.004⁽²⁾

Thoracic spine

45 (45.0%)

30 (34.5%)

0.178⁽²⁾

Lumbar spine

64 (64.0%)

59 (67.8%)

0.644⁽²⁾

Bacterial detection via

Blood cultures

67 (67.0%)

51 (58.6%)

0.288⁽²⁾

Intraoperative specimens

87 (87.0%)

70 (80.5%)

0.238⁽²⁾

CT-guided biopsies (37/65)

23/41 (56.1%)

14/24 (58.3%)

1.0⁽²⁾

Source of infection (129/187, 69.0%)

Hematogenous spread

< 0.001⁽¹⁾

Gastrointestinal tract infection

2/63 (3.2%)

7/66 (10.6%)

Respiratory tract infection (pneumonia)

9/63 (14.3%)

7/66 (10.6%)

Urinary tract infection (urosepsis)

3/63 (4.8%)

10/66 (15.2%)

Skin infection

26/63 (41.3%)

11/66 (16.7%)

Foreign body-associated infection

(joint replacements, venous access port, prosthetic heart valve, and screws elsewhere in spine)

5/63 (7.9%)

18/66 (27.3%)

Odontogenic infection

4/63 (6.3%)

1/66 (1.5%)

Retropharyngeal & prevertebral infection

2/63 (3.2%)

4/66 (6.1%)

Post-interventional

Epidural administration such as spinal infiltration (facet joint, epidural, periradicular) or epidural catheter analgesia

12/63 (19.0%)

8/66 (12.1%)