Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41120884›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2025

The epidemiology and disease economic burden of osteoarticular tuberculosis in hospitalized children in China: a nationwide cross-sectional retrospective study.

Yuanyuan Liu, Xinyu Wang, Xiao Peng, Lu Lu, Hui Yang, Guoshuang Feng, Yongli Guo, Jingyi Fan, Jie Lu

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yuanyuan Liu *Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, P.R. China.
Xinyu Wang *Big Data Center, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, P.R. China.
Xiao Peng *Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, P.R. China.
Lu LuMedical Journal Center, Beijing Children's Hospital, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, P.R. China.
Hui YangBeijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, P.R. China.
Guoshuang FengBig Data Center, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, P.R. China.
Yongli GuoBeijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, P.R. China. guoyongli@bch.com.cn.
Jingyi FanOrthopedic department, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, P.R. China. 20640507@qq.com.
Jie LuBeijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, P.R. China. lujiebch@163.com.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2023YFC2307301the Beijing Natural Science Foundation 7232060
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOsteoarticular tuberculosis (OATB) in children may lead to bone and joint deformities, which seriously affect the growth and development of children. However, the epidemiological data on pediatric OATB are relatively scarce. The goal of this study is to understand the epidemiological characteristics and economic burden of OATB in hospitalized children in China.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective, multicenter cross-sectional study covering hospitalized children with OATB in 24 hospitals in six regions of China from 2016 to 2021. Sociodemographic and geographic variables, admission and discharge information were extracted from face sheets of discharge medical records to describe the epidemiological characteristics. Length of hospital stay (LOS) and hospitalization expenses were used to assess economic burden.

resultsPediatric OATB inpatients accounted for 5.25% of pediatric TB hospitalizations (322/6138). Among different regions, Southwest China had the highest prevalence of OATB among TB patients (9.72%). The prevalence of OATB among ethnic minority children was higher than that among Han children (7.12% vs. 4.79%). Among all the children with OATB, 75.47% (243/322) were solo OATB, while OATB combined with pulmonary tuberculosis accounted for only 14.91% (48/322). In terms of anatomical distribution, spinal tuberculosis was the most common, accounting for 38.83% (125/322). In terms of economic burden, the median length of stay (LOS) for OATB patients was 12 days (IQR 7–17), with a median total hospitalization expense of $1319.61 (IQR 700.53-2788.25). Notably, Northwest China recorded the longest median LOS(14 days). Additionally, ethnic minority children had a longer median LOS than Han children (14 days vs. 11 days).

conclusionsThis study contained the largest number of pediatric inpatients with OATB, which is the first multi-center study of pediatric OATB in China. The burden of hospitalized children with OATB in the western region of China and ethnic minorities is serious. It is recommended to take region - targeted prevention and treatment measures for children with OATB to reduce the risk of disease transmission and protect children’s health.

Indexed as

Cost of IllnessTuberculosis, OsteoarticularAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolChinaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHospitalizationHumansInfantLength of StayMalePrevalenceRetrospective StudiesChildrenChinaEpidemiologyHospitalizationOsteoarticular tuberculosis

Identifiers

PMID41120884
PMCPMC12542158

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Registered trials

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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.