Changing Tides in the Treatment of Spondylodiscitis? A Retrospective, Monocentric Comparison of Mortality and Quality of Life After Surgical and Conservative Treatment

<b>Background:</b> The increasing incidence of spondylodiscitis and its potentially severe consequences when not promptly diagnosed highlight the need for further research to improve treatment guidelines, reduce mortality and morbidity and improve the quality of life in patients who suffer from persistent physical limitations. <b>Methods:</b> We collected data from 103 patients, with 8 patients lost to follow-up, who were diagnosed with vertebral osteomyelitis, disk infection or discitis between 2009 and 2018. The primary outcome was the 1-year mortality rate in patients treated with either conservative or surgical intervention, with both groups receiving antibiotic treatment. A standardized questionnaire was used to assess health-related quality of life after treatment by evaluating the European Quality of Life 5 Dimension 5 Level version (EQ-5D-5L) and the European Quality of Life Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS). In addition, we used the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the Parker Mobility Score to identify backpain-related limitations after treatment. <b>Results:</b> The group receiving surgical treatment had a significantly lower 1-year mortality rate (22%) than did those who were treated conservatively, who had a 4-fold greater risk for death after a year following first diagnosis of SD and treatment. With respect to quality of life, 39 patients answered the standardized questionnaires during follow-up, and the questionnaire results revealed no significant difference in limitations in daily life or in health-related quality of life, with a median Parker Mobility Score of 9 for the conservatively treated patients compared with 7.5 for the surgically treated patients. This difference between the groups was not statistically significant, with a <i>p</i> value of 0.216 > α. A similar result was obtained in the evaluation of the ODI, with a medial index of 30% in the conservatively treated group compared with 24% in the surgical group, which was not statistically significant as indicated by a <i>p</i> value of 0.360 > α. <b>Conclusions:</b> The early surgical approach when treating spondylodiscitis is advantageous for identifying the underlying infection and initiating appropriate antibiotic therapy, therefore reducing mortality and resulting in a greater likelihood of full recovery than the conservative treatment does.