Several previous studies introduced risk factors of spondylodiscitis that did not show independent association with mortality in our patient cohort: (1) diabetes mellitus [2,3] with or without insulin dependent therapy (58 patients; p = 0.0479); (2) immunosuppressants including steroids (44 patients; p = 0.484), which might be due to rapidly improving treatment concepts and a multidisciplinary treatment approach. The gene discussed is INS; the disease is diabetes mellitus.