{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,19]],"date-time":"2026-08-19T19:45:31Z","timestamp":1787168731414,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,18]],"date-time":"2022-02-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1645142400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Although vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) has a major impact on morbidity, functional status, and quality of life, data concerning the influence on the patient\u2019s ability to work (ATW) are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the work status after VO-treatment as well as risk factors associated with loss of the ATW. We conducted a post-hoc analysis of data from a prospective VO-registry (2008\u20132019) supplemented by workforce data. Primary endpoint was the work status after one year (T1). Univariate analysis comparing patients\u2019 characteristics \u201cat-work\u201d versus \u201cnot-at-work\u201d at T1 was performed. Of a total of 335 VO-patients, n = 52 (16%) were part of the workforce at time of diagnosis (T0), of which 22 (42%) failed to be part of the workforce at T1. A higher number of comorbidities and a body mass index (BMI) &lt; 25 kg\/m2 were associated with a reduced ATW. VO in working age patients is a debilitating condition and associated with reduced patients\u2019 ATW. Patients engaged in heavy physical work mostly had a BMI &lt; 25 kg\/m2 and therefore were more severely affected and no longer able to keep their workforce. More support in retraining should be offered after successful treatment to maintain ATW and reduce the socio-economic burden.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm11041095","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,21]],"date-time":"2022-02-21T08:22:19Z","timestamp":1645431739000},"page":"1095","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["The Burden of Vertebral Osteomyelitis\u2014An Analysis of the Workforce before and after Treatment"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Ayla","family":"Yagdiran","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2311-4409","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jan","family":"Bredow","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Krankenhaus Porz am Rhein, 51149 Cologne, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8490-5549","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carolyn","family":"Weber","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heart Center, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ghaith","family":"Mousa Basha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Peer","family":"Eysel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6138-7454","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Julia","family":"Fischer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Integrated Oncology, Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany"},{"name":"Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany"},{"name":"German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 50935 Cologne, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5740-0772","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Norma","family":"Jung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Integrated Oncology, Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1093\/bmb\/ldw003","article-title":"Vertebral osteomyelitis in adults: An update","volume":"117","author":"Nickerson","year":"2016","journal-title":"Br. 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