ReviewEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2023
Pathogen detection in suspected spinal infection: metagenomic next-generation sequencing versus culture.
Review in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparative diagnostic performance of metagenomic next-generation sequencing and conventional microbial culture in spinal infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Pooled it
- The bacterial spectrum of spinal infections based on blood culture, tissue culture, and molecular methods: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2025Pooled it
- Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) versus tissue culture technique (TCT) in diagnosis of spinal infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2025Pooled it
- What Is the Accuracy of 16S PCR Followed by Sanger Sequencing or Next-generation Sequencing in Native Vertebral Osteomyelitis? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Clinical orthopaedics and related research · 2025Pooled it
- Development and validation of a nomogram for differential diagnosis of pyogenic spondylitis and tuberculous spondylitis in China: a multicenter retrospective study.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026Article
- Clinical utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in diagnosing spinal infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026Review
- The role of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in spinal infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026Review
- [A clinical auxiliary differential diagnostic model for thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis based on routine laboratory indicators: A multicenter retrospective cohort study].Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2026Article
- Spinal Tuberculosis Diagnosed by Metagenomics Capture (MetaCAP) in a Patient Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Case Report.The American journal of case reports · 2026Article
- Diagnostic Value of Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing for Suspected Native Spinal Brucella Infection: A Multicenter Study.Neurospine · 2026Article
- C-arm-guided percutaneous biopsy combined with mNGS: a dual-modality strategy for optimizing diagnosis and targeted management of spinal infections.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026Review
- Metagenomic next-generation sequencing for the diagnosis of suspected spinal infections from biopsy samples: a novel biopsy toolkit design and real-life diagnostic value.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026Article
- Integrating metagenomic next-generation sequencing into a multimodal diagnostic framework for spinal infection: enhancing etiological identification and clinical prediction.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
- Review
- Clinical application value of nanopore-targeted sequencing technology for primary spine infection: a mulicenter, retrospective observational study.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Observational
- An imaging-based clinical prediction model to differentiate brucellar spondylitis from pyogenic spondylitis: a multicenter retrospective observational study.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2025Observational
- Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing in Infectious Diseases: Clinical Applications, Translational Challenges, and Future Directions.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Pathogen Detection in Spinal Infections: Next-Generation Sequencing Versus Conventional Microbiological Methods.Current medical science · 2025Article
- The application of endoscopic debridement combined with metagenomic next-generation sequencing technology in primary spinal infections: a retrospective study.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025Article
- Observational
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeThe aim is to compare the pathogen detection performance of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and the culturing of percutaneous needle biopsy samples obtained from an individual with a suspected spinal infection.
methodsA retrospective study of 141 individuals with a suspected spinal infection was conducted, and mNGS was performed. The microbial spectra and detection performance between mNGS and the culturing-based method were compared, and the effects of antibiotic intervention and biopsy on the detection performance were assessed.
resultsThe microorganisms isolated most commonly via the culturing-based method were Mycobacterium tuberculosis (n = 21), followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (n = 13). The most common microorganisms detected via mNGS were Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) (n = 39), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n = 15). The difference in the type of detected microorganisms between culturing and mNGS was observed only in Mycobacterium (P = 0.001). mNGS helped identify potential pathogens in 80.9% of cases, which was significantly higher than the positivity rate of 59.6% observed for the culturing-based method (P < 0.001). Moreover, mNGS had a sensitivity of 85.7% (95% CI, 78.4% to 91.3%), a specificity of 86.7% (95% CI, 59.5% to 98.3%), and sensitivity gains of 35% (85.7% vs. 50.8%; P < 0.001) during culturing, while no differences were observed in the specificity (86.7% vs. 93.3%; P = 0.543). In addition, antibiotic interventions significantly lowered the positivity rate of the culturing-based method (66.0% vs. 45.5%, P = 0.021) but had no effects on the results of mNGS (82.5% vs. 77.3%, P = 0.467).
conclusionThe use of mNGS could result in a higher detection rate compared to that observed with the culturing-based method in an individual with spinal infection and is particularly valuable for evaluating the effects of a mycobacterial infection or previous antibiotic intervention.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.