1
|
Thavarajasingam SG, Subbiah Ponniah H, Philipps R, Neuhoff J, Kramer A, Demetriades AK, Shiban E, Ringel F, Davies B. Increasing incidence of spondylodiscitis in England: An analysis of the national health service (NHS) hospital episode statistics from 2012 to 2021. Brain Spine 2023; 3:101733. [PMID: 37383429 PMCID: PMC10293225 DOI: 10.1016/j.bas.2023.101733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Background Spondylodiscitis is a potentially life-threatening infection of the intervertebral disk and adjacent vertebral bodies, with a mortality rate of 2-20%. Given the aging population, the increase in immunosuppression, and intravenous drug use in England, the incidence of spondylodiscitis is postulated to be increasing; however, the exact epidemiological trend in England remains unknown. Objective The Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database contains details of all secondary care admissions across NHS hospitals in England. This study aimed to use HES data to characterise the annual activity and longitudinal change of spondylodiscitis in England. Methods The HES database was interrogated for all cases of spondylodiscitis between 2012 and 2019. Data for the length of stay, waiting time, age-stratified admissions, and 'Finished Consultant Episodes' (FCEs), which correspond to a patient's hospital care under a lead clinician, were analysed. Results In total, 43135 FCEs for spondylodiscitis were identified between 2012 and 2022, of which 97.1% were adults. Overall admissions for spondylodiscitis have risen from 3 per 100,000 population in 2012/13 to 4.4 per 100,000 population in 2020/21. Similarly, FCEs have increased from 5.8 to 10.3 per 100,000 population, in 2012-2013 and 2020/21 respectively. The highest increase in admissions from 2012 to 2021 was recorded for those aged 70-74 (117% increase) and aged 75-59 (133% increase), among those of working age for those aged 60-64 years (91% increase). Conclusion Population-adjusted admissions for spondylodiscitis in England have risen by 44% between 2012 and 2021. Healthcare policymakers and providers must acknowledge the increasing burden of spondylodiscitis and make spondylodiscitis a research priority.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Santhosh G. Thavarajasingam
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Academic Neurosurgery, Addenbroke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Healthcare Trust, United Kingdom
- Imperial Brain & Spine Initiative, London, United Kingdom
- Spondylodiscitis Study Group, EANS Spine Section, European Association of Neurolosurgical Societies (EANS), Germany
| | - Hariharan Subbiah Ponniah
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial Brain & Spine Initiative, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jonathan Neuhoff
- Center for Spinal Surgery and Neurotraumatology, Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
- Spondylodiscitis Study Group, EANS Spine Section, European Association of Neurolosurgical Societies (EANS), Germany
| | - Andreas Kramer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Spondylodiscitis Study Group, EANS Spine Section, European Association of Neurolosurgical Societies (EANS), Germany
| | - Andreas K. Demetriades
- Edinburgh Spinal Surgery Outcome Studies Group, Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Clinical Neurosciences, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh University Hospitals, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Spondylodiscitis Study Group, EANS Spine Section, European Association of Neurolosurgical Societies (EANS), Germany
| | - Ehab Shiban
- Department of Neurosurgery, Universitätsklinikum Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Spondylodiscitis Study Group, EANS Spine Section, European Association of Neurolosurgical Societies (EANS), Germany
| | - Florian Ringel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Spondylodiscitis Study Group, EANS Spine Section, European Association of Neurolosurgical Societies (EANS), Germany
| | - Benjamin Davies
- Department of Academic Neurosurgery, Addenbroke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Healthcare Trust, United Kingdom
- Spondylodiscitis Study Group, EANS Spine Section, European Association of Neurolosurgical Societies (EANS), Germany
| |
Collapse
|