What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to compare clinical features and outcomes of culture-positive versus culture-negative vertebral osteomyelitis and identify predictors of recurrence and mortality.

June 28, 2026Open Access

Impact of Culture Status on Outcomes in Vertebral Osteomyelitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 206 Patients

Key Points

This study aims to compare clinical features and outcomes of culture-positive versus culture-negative vertebral osteomyelitis and identify predictors of recurrence and mortality.
Retrospective cohort analysis of 252 patients with vertebral osteomyelitis, ultimately including 206 patients in the analysis.
Data collection included demographics, lab findings, microbiology, and treatment regimens, with antimicrobials administered for ≥6 weeks.
Primary outcomes included treatment failure, recurrence, and all-cause and infection-related mortality at one year.
Culture-negative vertebral osteomyelitis exhibited fewer clinical symptoms and lower laboratory markers compared to culture-positive cases.
Treatment failure and recurrence rates were 11.7% and 1.5%, respectively, with all recurrences occurring in the culture-positive group.
One-year all-cause mortality was 17% for culture-positive and 24% for culture-negative, with no statistically significant difference (p=0.305).

Abstract

Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Objectives To compare clinical features and outcomes between culture-positive and culture-negative vertebral osteomyelitis (VO), describe empirical antimicrobial regimens used for culture-negative VO, and identify independent predictors of 1-year recurrence and mortality. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 252 consecutive patients treated for VO at a tertiary center (2010–2023). Finally, 206 patients were analyzed (173 culture-positive, 33 culture-negative). Demographics, comorbidities, laboratory and imaging findings, microbiology, antimicrobial regimens, and surgical treatment were collected. Antimicrobials were generally administered for ≥6 weeks. Primary outcomes were initial treatment failure, recurrence, 1-year all-cause mortality, and infection-related mortality. Results Culture-negative VO showed lower temperature, C-reactive protein, and white blood cell count; higher albumin; and fewer epidural abscesses than culture-positive VO, consistent with a milder phenotype. Initial treatment failure and recurrence occurred in 24/206 (11.7%) and 3/206 (1.5%) patients, respectively. All recurrences occurred in the culture-positive group. One-year all-cause mortality was 17% (29/173) in culture-positive and 24% (8/33) in culture-negative patients (p=0.305); infection-related mortality was 13% and 18%, respectively (p=0.424). Among culture-negative patients, outcomes did not differ between cefazolin-based versus other empirical regimens. Multivariable analysis identified older age, higher Charlson Comorbidity Index, hypoalbuminemia, and absence of surgery as independent predictors of mortality, whereas culture status was not. Conclusions In this cohort with high microbiological yield (84%), culture-negative VO presented with milder clinical features and had recurrence and 1-year mortality comparable to culture-positive VO when treated with ≥6 weeks of antimicrobials. Prognosis was driven primarily by host factors rather than culture status.

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