Utility of the LACE index to assess risk of mortality and readmission in patients with spinal infections.

Retrospective cohort study. To assess the utility of the LACE index for predicting death and readmission in patients with spinal infections (SI). SIs are severe conditions, and their incidence has increased in recent years. The LACE (Length of stay, Acuity of admission, Comorbidities, Emergency department visits) index quantifies the risk of mortality or unplanned readmission. It has not yet been validated for SIs. LACE indices were calculated for all adult patients who underwent surgery for spinal infection between 2012 and 2021. Data were collected from a single academic teaching hospital. Outcome measures included the LACE index, mortality, and readmission rate within 30 and 90 days. In total, 164 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 64.6 (± 15.1) years, 73 (45%) were female. Ten (6.1%) patients died within 30 days and 16 (9.8%) died within 90 days after discharge. Mean LACE indices were 13.4 (± 3.6) and 13.8 (± 3.0) for the deceased patients, compared to 11.0 (± 2.8) and 10.8 (± 2.8) for surviving patients (p = 0.01, p < 0.001), respectively. Thirty-seven (22.6%) patients were readmitted ≤ 30 days and 48 (29.3%) were readmitted ≤ 90 days. Readmitted patients had a significantly higher mean LACE index compared to non-readmitted patients (12.9 ± 2.1 vs. 10.6 ± 2.9, < 0.001 and 12.8 ± 2.3 vs. 10.4 ± 2.8, p < 0.001, respectively). ROC analysis for either death or readmission within 30 days estimated a cut-off LACE index of 12.0 points (area under the curve [AUC] 95% CI, 0.757 [0.681-0.833]) with a sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 69%. Patients with SI had high LACE indices that were associated with high mortality and readmission rates. The LACE index can be applied to this patient population to predict the risk of early death or unplanned readmission.