The burden of spinal tuberculosis (STB) in China remains substantial, with the country ranking third in the number of tuberculosis cases globally in 2022, among the 30 countries with a high tuberculosis burden. In East China, few large-scale studies have been conducted on STB. This retrospective study analyzed 893 confirmed STB cases (2010–2020). Demographic, clinical, and diagnostic data were statistically characterized using χ²/t-tests for categorical/continuous variables (significance at P < 0.05). The annual number of confirmed STB cases of spinal TB showed a sustained upward trend. Among 893 STB patients (male: female = 1.4:1; median age 56 years), rural populations exhibited higher prevalence (P = 0.264 for delayed hospitalization vs. urban). Farmers/laborers predominated (84.7%), with hypertension (32.4%), diabetes (18.5%) and osteoporosis (12.9%) as major comorbidities. Concurrent pulmonary TB occurred in 435 cases (48.7%) and other extrapulmonary TB in 71 (8.0%). Diagnostic evaluations revealed TSPOT (82.7%), histopathology (75.9%) and Xpert-MTB/RIF (71.8%) as most sensitive methods. Compared with histopathological gold standard, Xpert demonstrated 81.5% sensitivity, 58.8% specificity, 87.0% PPV and 48.3% NPV (kappa = 0.374). Combining histopathology with Xpert achieved 86.6% diagnostic accuracy, significantly surpassing individual methods (P < 0.001). Lesion distribution showed lumbar (44.3%) and thoracic (42.3%) predominance, mostly involving ≥ 2 contiguous vertebrae (91.3% continuous vs. 8.7% skip lesions). Chemotherapy remained primary treatment, with 6.5% drug resistance rate showing annual escalation (mainly monoresistance). Surgical intervention achieved favorable outcomes in 648 cases (72.6%). Over the course of the study period, the overall diagnosis rate of spinal tuberculosis exhibited an upward trend. Despite East China's relatively advanced socioeconomic and healthcare systems, spinal tuberculosis remains a substantial public health challenge, primarily due to the region's complex population composition and high population mobility. The prevention and management of spinal tuberculosis continue to present considerable challenges. Early diagnosis, combined with an appropriate treatment course, ensures that both chemotherapy and surgical interventions yield satisfactory outcomes. Increasing the allocation and investment of medical resources for tuberculosis, enhancing health management for migrant populations, and raising public health awareness are essential.
Cao et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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