Postoperative C-Reactive Protein Trajectories in Spine Surgery – Influence of Vancomycin Powder: A Secondary Analysis of a Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

> 0.08).ConclusionsIn 292 spine surgery patients, day 7 CRP (AUC = 0.813) was the strongest predictor of any SSI. A cutoff of 79 mg/L on day 7 provided NPV of 95.2%, supporting CRP as a rule-out biomarker. Day 3 CRP ≥92 mg/L (AUC = 0.761) offers early warning capability. CRP trajectories did not differ significantly between the vancomycin and control groups. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02631408; EudraCT: 2014-002096-29.